PIONEERS SWEEP ALTOONA IN AMCC OPENING ROUND

The Alfred State College baseball team survived and advanced with a sweep over Penn State Altoona in the AMCC Opening Round. The Pioneers walked off game one in the 11th 5-4, then won game two 6-5.

Game One

Jack Curabba led the way at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and a double. On the mound Ryan Bailey got the start and pitched 7.0 innings scattering three earned runs over eight hits. Ryan Kinney came in relief and got the win after pitching 4.0 innings, only allowing one hit with two strikeouts.

The Pioneers scored one run in each of the first three innings. In the first, Joshua Gardner got walked to lead of the at-bat. Gardner would advance to third and three batters later, Curabba notched an RBI single to right center to take the 1-0 lead. Then in the second with two outs, Anthony Snyder notched a single through the left side. Devin Mersmann followed with a single to get two runners on. Gardner then tallied an RBI double to left field for the 2-0 lead. In the third, Tyler Korsky led off with a walk and stole second a few pitches later. Curabba followed with an RBI double to gave ASC a 3-0 lead.

The Lions would score two runs in the fourth and sixth innings to take a 4-3 lead. The Pioneers answered with the tying run in the sixth. Connor Kiefer notched a one out single and would steal second to get into scoring position. Snyder followed with a double down the left field line to bring Kiefer home.

The game would go into extras, and the Pios would get a one out single from Mersmann in the bottom of the 11th. He would steal second a few pitches later, then Elijah Barinas would get the walk off RBI single up the middle to get the 5-4 win.

Game Two 

Christopher Mattoon got the start and the win after pitching a complete 9.0 inning game. He scattered five runs over 10 hits with two strikeouts. 

The Pioneers got on the board first in the second inning. Tyler Petery led off with a single through the left side, then stole second after a failed pickoff attempt. Walker would tally a bunt single and both runners would advance on a wild pitch with Petery scoring for the 1-0 lead. Then Kiefer and Mersmann would get walked to load the bases, and Gardner followed with an RBI sacrifice fly for the 2-0 lead.

The Lions would take a 5-2 lead after scoring runs in the third and fourth. The Pios would get one run across from an RBI single by Walker in the sixth to cut the lead down. Then in the bottom of the eight the Pioneers tallied three runs to regain the lead. Korsky got walked, Curabba got hit by a pitch, and Petery laid down a bunt to load the base. Then two batters later Kiefer notched a two RBI double down the left field line to tie the game at 5-5. An RBI sacrifice bunt from Aidan Murphy gave ASC the 6-5 lead. The Pioneers held the Lions in the top of the ninth to secure the win and a spot at the final site.