ALFRED, NY— The Houghton Highlanders opened Empire 8 conference play with a pair of wins on a bitterly cold afternoon, 15-5 and 8-5.
GAME VITALS
Game One Score: Houghton - 15 | Alfred – 5
Game Two Score: Alfred - 5 | Houghton – 8
Records: Alfred: 2-12 (0-2 Empire 8) | Houghton: 8-3 (2-0 Empire 8)
Venue: Galanis Stadium, Alfred University | Attendance: 85/85
GAME ONE:
Trailing, 2-0, in the top of the fourth, Houghton plated three runs to take a lead they would never relinquish.
The Highlanders would tack on five more in the fifth, thanks to five hits, including a two-RBI triple by
JD Robinson, followed by an RBI double by
Qingyang Feng.
Houghton scored seven more runs in the seventh and eighth innings to enact the 10-run rule.
Conner Benitez picked up his third win of the season, allowing only one hit over five innings of work, while striking out four.
Vincent Lucyszyn went 4-for-6 with three runs scored.
GAME TWO:
Christian Tortorici laced a bases-clearing triple to right to give the Highlanders a 5-3 lead in the fifth, a lead they hold for the remainder of the game.
Houghton would score two more insurance runs in the inning to give them a four run cushion.
Mark Lewandowski would pick up the win in relief for the Highlanders, while
Isaiah Wood,
Nate Tyler and
Tobias Waldridge would all pitch scoreless innings of relief out of the Houghton pen.
Waldridge picked up his first collegiate save, inherited two baserunners before striking out the first batter he faced and inducing the game-ending double-play.
Feng and
Nate Hall each recorded a pair of hits for the Highlanders.
KEY STATS:
>> Through the first 11 games of the season, Houghton pitchers have limited opposing batters to a .189 average, and a .246 slugging percentage.
>> Houghton hitters have posted a .943 OPS, racking up 30 more extra base hits than their opponents.
UP NEXT:
The Highlanders travel to Albany on Friday, March 27 for the opening game of the three-game set with the Russell Sage Gators. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
