Ferrum, VA- The Alfred State baseball team swept their season opening double-header against Ferrum after scoring 30 runs on the day, 12-3 and 18-6. The Pioneers start the season 2-0.
In game one, Ryan Bailey picked up his first win of the season as he pitched 6.0 innings only allowing three runs on five hits with eight strikeouts. Spencer Riehler came in relief and pitched 1.0 innings notching a strikeout.
At the plate, Zach Young led the way going 4-5 with a homerun and a double for two RBIs. Jordan Hughes followed going 2-4 with a homer and a double for three RBIs. Elijah Barinas, Tyler Korsky, and Anthony Snyder added a double each.
In the top of the first, Barinas scored the first run of the season on a wild pitch. Hughes followed with an RBI double to left field to take a 2-0 lead.
The Panthers would take a 3-2 lead in their at-bat, the Pioneers shut them out the rest of the game. Then in the top of the second, the Pios got the bases loaded and an RBI sacrifice fly from Barinas tied the game at 3-3.
After a few scoreless innings, ASC scored six runs in the top of the fifth to regain the lead, 9-3. Korsky led off with a single through the left side. Hughes followed with a homer down the right field line for the 5-3 lead. Young followed with a single and would score a few plays later on an error. Devin Mersmann stepped in the box and tallied an RBI single. Snyder followed with his double to put runners on second and third. After a change of pitchers, Joshua Gardner notched a walk to load the bases. A few plays later, all runners would advance on a wild pitch. The Pios would take the 9-3 lead on a RBI sacrifice fly by Korsky.
In the next Pioneers at bat, Young led off with a solo blast to left field. After reaching on an error and advancing to third, Walker would score on an RBI sacrifice fly by Mersmann for the 11-3 lead.
The Pioneers final run came in the seventh. With one out, Korsky tallied a double to left center, and Hughes followed with a walk. Young then stepped to the plate and tallied an RBI single for the 12-3 lead.
In game two, Christopher Mattoon picked up the win after pitching 5.0 innings scattering five runs on nine hits with two strikeouts. Korsky went 2-5 with two RBIs, while Hughes tallied three RBIs.
The Pioneers kept their bats hot in game two, as the scored four runs in the first. With one out, Barinas and Connor Kiefer got walked. The Korsky put in an RBI single, followed by Hughes's two RBI double for the 3-0 lead. Hughes then scored on an RBI single by Young.
The Panthers would close the gap in their at-bat to make it a 4-3 game. In the top of the second, with one out and the bases loaded, Korsky notched an RBI single to left field. Hughes followed with an RBI sacrifice fly for the 6-3 lead. Kiefer would score in a run-down situation to make in a 7-3 game.
The Pioneers followed by scoring five runs in the third and fifth innings to take a commanding 17-5 lead. Alfred State would go on to sweep the day, and will look to complete the series sweep in tomorrow's game at noon.
