Alfred, NY – The SUNY Canton baseball team split a doubleheader with host Alfred State College, 6-4 and 9-7, Friday afternoon. With the split the Roos remain at .500 at 13-13, while the Pioneers move to 7-21.

Game One

The Roos wasted no time getting the bats going in game one putting two runs on the board early. Austin Hernandez (Loxahatchee, FL) opened the game with a leadoff single and moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Chris Jones (Deerfield Beach, FL) followed with a single to left. Jones stole second with runners on second and third as Braden Giffin (Lake Worth, FL) stepped to the plate. The first basemen hit a shot into the right center gap for a 2 RBI double.SUNY Canton added two more runs in the third as singles by Jesse Barton (Belle Glade, FL) and Kyle Sacks (Clifton Park, NY) plated Giffin and Barton to make it 4-0 Roos after three innings. Alfred State got three back in the bottom of the sixth on a 2 RBI double from Dylan Lewis-Ellison and a Tom Banicky single.

The Roos added two crucial insurance runs in the top of the seventh on RBI singles from Jeremy Baez (Bronx, NY) and Sacks. The Pioneers scored one in the bottom of the seventh and had the tying runs in scoring position but John Mancini (Scotia, NY) closed out the game in relief picking up his second save of the season.

Zach Lawrence (West Palm Beach, FL) earned his fifth win of the season improving to 5-2. The freshman gave up three earned over six innings while striking out five and walking two.

Game Two

SUNY Canton got on the board again in the first inning in its second game behind an RBI single from senior Jordan Hunneyman (Redwood, NY). The Pioneers added two runs each in the third and fourth innings to take a 4-1 lead after four.

The Roos responded in the top of the fourth with four runs to take temporary 5-4 lead. Kevin Hill (Deerfield Beach, FL) singled to left field scoring Keenan Shannon (Ballston Spa, NY). Hernandez came across the plate on a wild pitch before Hill scored on a Hunneyman groundout. Nick Belile (Norwood, NY) plated the final run of the inning on a two out single to center.

The Pioneers immediately answered the Roo surge by scoring five runs in the bottom half of the fifth to regain a 9-5 lead. Hernandez and Hunneyman earned RBIs in the sixth inning but the Roos were retired in order on three fly outs in the seventh as Alfred State staved off the comeback bid.

Khalil Bratton (Queens, NY) gave up just five hits in the start throwing four innings. He surrendered four walks and five earned, while also hitting four batters. Sass picked up his fourth win of the season for Alfred State.

The Roos and Pioneers are back in action on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.