HOUGHTON, NY— Ethan Cetton allowed only two runs on two hits over seven innings, leading the Houghton Highlanders past the SUNY Poly Wildcats in the opening game of the Empire 8 Championship tournament, 7-3.
 
After the Highlanders manufactured a run in the bottom of the first, the Wildcats drew back-to-back two-out walks before a double from Quinn Hill gave them a 2-1 lead.
 
Houghton quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning when Mason Sutherland doubled home Kanta Ueno, and Jeremiah Chow singled home Sutherland to put the Highlanders back in front. 
 
The Highlanders final broke through in the sixth, giving themselves some breathing room on a Ty Kenney RBI single and a two-RBI single by Qingyang Feng.
 
Poly would get a run back in the eighth, but the Highlanders again responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning. 
 
Daniel Allard would come on to throw a scoreless ninth to close the door for the Highlanders.
 
GAME VITALS                           
Game Score: #6 SUNY Poly – 3 | #5 Houghton – 7
Records: #6 SUNY Poly: 14-22 | #5 Houghton: 22-19
Venue: Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex, Houghton University | Attendance: 225
 
KEY STATS:
>> Feng, Ueno, Sutherland and Christian Tortorici all picked up two hits apiece, while Kenney and Jeremiah Chow collected the two remaining hits for the Highlanders, who outhit the Wildcats, 10-6.  Ueno has now had 19 multi-hit games this season, Feng 22, and Tortorici 15.
 
>> Feng's second single gave him 91 total bases on the season, while Ueno's second hit gave him 82, moving him into second place on the all-time single-season record list, behind only Feng. 
 
>> In the sixth inning, Chow and Feng executed a double-steal of third and second, respectively, giving the Highlanders 109 stolen bases on the season.
 
COACH'S CORNER:
"I'm so proud of our team right now.  This was a good solid win all-around.  Ethan [Cetton] pitched as well as he has all year long, we played excellent defense, and we executed offensively.
 
"SUNY Poly took two-of-three from us during the regular season, on our home field, so it was redeeming to win this game.  They have a number of good, young players.  They are well-coached, and I have every reason to believe they will be back in the tournament next year.
 
"Our guys have worked so hard this season to get to this point.  As I told them before the game, we've been through the desert, but we've been faithful. Tonight we got to taste some of the milk and honey from the other side of the shore." – Head Coach Brian Reitnour
 
UP NEXT:
The Highlanders head to Brockport this Thursday.  They will face #4 Utica at 8:30 a.m. in the final play-in game.  The winner will face #1 SUNY Brockport at 3:30 p.m.