±¬×ß³Ô¹Ï and Erie CC split a Region III Division III doubleheader at Bolivar Richburg High School on Thursday. ECC won the opener 4-1 while ASC won the nightcap 5-4. ±¬×ß³Ô¹Ï is now 9-8 overall and 5-5 in RIII DIII play.
In the opener, ASC was held to just five hits and managed their lone run of the game in the 7th on a solo homer by Kevan Smith (Cicero North Syracuse). ECC took a 1-0 lead in the 2nd and added three insurance runs in the 7th. Anthony Espe (Union Endicott) and Smith were both 2 for 3 for the Pioneers. Mitch Kippola (Ithaca) allowed two earned runs in seven innings of work but was the tough luck loser. He walked one and struck out two.
±¬×ß³Ô¹Ï scored three runs in the bottom of the 6th inning to regain their lead en route to the victory. Tyler Mann (Holland Patent) tied the game with a two-out RBI single and came around to score when that hit was misplayed and he was able to circle the bases. ASC led 2-0 heading into the 6th but the Kats plated four in the top half of the inning before the Pioneers rallied.
JP Frey (Erie, PA/McDowell), Andrew Alexander (LeRoy), and Mann were each 2 for 3 to pace the offense while Ruben Mizrahi (Weston, FL/David Pasnak) earned the complete game victory on the mound. He allwoed one earned run and six hits while walking two and striking out two.
The blue & gold return to action on Saturday when they host Finger Lakes CC at 1 p.m.