HOUGHTON, NY— Day two of the regular season series finale proved equally as exciting as day one at the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex.
 
After winning the opening game of the series last night, 3-2, in a dramatic walk-off in the bottom of the ninth on a bases-loaded base hit by Nate Hall, the Highlanders experience déjà vu all over again in Saturday's opening game.  Hall once again found himself at the plate with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning with the game tied, and once again walked-off the game-winning base hit, lifting the Highlanders to a dramatic 7-6 victory.
 
The Cardinals scored seven runs early in the second game, and withstood another comeback attempt by the Highlanders, holding on to win the second game, 8-5.
 
GAME VITALS                           
Game One Score: St. John Fisher - 6 | Houghton – 7 (9 IN)
Game One Score: St. John Fisher - 8 | Houghton – 5
Records: St. John Fisher: 21-17-1 (15-8-1 Empire 8) | Houghton: 21-19 (11-13 Empire 8)
Venue: Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex, Houghton, NY | Attendance: 85
 
GAME ONE:
Some shaky Houghton defense in the middle of the rain-soaked early innings put the Highlanders in a 5-0 hole after the first four innings of the scheduled seven-inning game.
 
Houghton scored their first run in the bottom of the fourth, but quickly gave one back on a dropped fly ball.
 
Trailing 6-1 in the sixth inning, Kanta Ueno crushed a triple to the right-center gap, scoring Christian Tortorici, and Hall laced a base hit to center, scoring Ueno.  Houghton, however, would fail to plate another run, leaving the score at 6-3, heading into the final inning.
 
After Conner Benitez put the Cardinals down in order in the top half of the inning, Houghton loaded the bases with one out.  Vincent Lucyszyn scored on wild pitch, then Christian Tortorici laced a base hit to centerfield, scoring two more runs to tie the game, 6-6.
 
Once again, the Highlanders loaded the bases with one out for Hall, but this time, Hall went down on strikes and Houghton failed to score again, pushing the game into extra innings.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, Christian Tortorici hit a one out single up the middle and advanced to second on a ground out.  Once again the Cardinals opted to intentionally walk Ueno. 
 
Tortorici stole third, but with two strikes on Hall, Fisher opted to pitch to him.  Hall promptly laced the 2-2 offering down the right field line, landing just inside the stripe to win the game.
 
GAME TWO:
After plating an unearned run in the first, St. John Fisher unloaded for six runs in the second, and added another in the third to take a commanding 8-0 lead.
 
Houghton got one back in the bottom of third on an RBI single by Ian Slate, then rallied for four more in the bottom of the fourth, capped by a Tortorici RBI double to left.
 
While the Highlanders would put runners on base in each of the three remaining innings, Cardinals' reliever Benjamin Huckans would not allow another run, striking out seven over the final three frames, as the score remained 8-5 for the duration.
 
KEY STATS:
>> With the win in the first game, Houghton clinched the #5 seed in the Empire 8 conference tournament.  The win was also their 21^st of the season, a new program record.
 
>> Houghton's bullpen allowed only one earned run on the day over 10.1 innings pitched.  Over that span they allowed only five hits and five walks, while striking out 15 batters.
 
>> Tortorici finished 6-for-7 on the day, with a double, three runs scored, three RBI and three stolen bases. 
 
>> Qingyang Feng also added three hits for the Highlanders.
 
>> Houghton outhit the Cardinals in both games, 9-to-8 and 7-to-6, respectively.
 
COACH'S CORNER:
"This was a great all-around series.  We had three very exciting games.  I'm proud of the resilience and maturity our guys showed.  They battled hard all weekend long.
 
"Our bullpen was outstanding today.  If we hadn't given up early runs in both games we would have walked away with both, but I'm proud of how our bullpen guys shut things down and kept us in both games.
 
"Christian [Tortorici] had an excellent day.  We've asked a lot of him this year.  He's caught almost every game, including all three this weekend, and continues to work hard behind the dish.  And for him to have six hits today is just a testimony to his dedication and work ethic.
 
"What can you say about Nate Hall… back-to-back games… nerves of steel.  He has worked so hard to get to this point. He's had a tremendous season and capped the regular season for us with a couple of walk-offs.  I couldn't be happier for him, or for our team.
 
"While it would have been nice to sweep, I'm still proud of how we competed all weekend.  We will work to carry that over into the postseason next week." – Head Coach Brian Reitnour
 
 UP NEXT:
The Highlanders return to the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex on Tuesday, when they will host the #6 seeded SUNY Poly Wildcats.  Game time has yet to be determined.