KEUKA PARK, N.Y. – The Keuka College Baseball split with Houghton College, winning the opener 9-6, but falling in Game 2 by the score of 13-2, in a non-conference doubleheader at Kuhl Field on Saturday.
Rob LaRue (Skillman, N.J. / Montgomery) had a combined four hits for Keuka College (9-9, 2-0 NEAC). Dakota Skinner (Waverly, N.Y. / Tioga) and John Rizzo (Auburn, N.Y. / Auburn) also added three hits on the day. Rizzo finished the doubleheader with three runs batting in as well.
Bryan Johnsen (Otisville, N.Y. / Minisink Valley) improved to 3-0 on the season. He struck out eight in earning the Game 1 victory. Dave Verrett (Cicero, N.Y. / Cicero-North Syracuse) got the final out for his second save of the season.
Keuka College 9 vs. Houghton College 6
The Highlanders took an early lead with a second inning solo home run and added to that with a run in the third. However Keuka tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third. Dan Bamann (Rochester, N.Y. / Irondequoit) had an RBI single and a groundout plated another run to tie the game. Houghton responded with two in the fourth, but Keuka tied it right back up on a two-run single by Brooks Vertoske (Horseheads, N.Y. / Horseheads). Keuka College took the lead for the first time in the bottom of the sixth as a part of a five-run inning. The big hit came as Dakota Skinner singled home two runs, giving the Wolves as 9-4 advantage. Houghton plated two and had the tying run at the plate when Verrett entered the game. The freshman go the first batter he faced to pop out to the catcher to give Keuka College the 9-6 victory.
Lead Wolf: Dakota Skinner went 2-3 at the plate for Keuka College in Game 1. The junior drove in two runs and also scored a run. Overall, he was on-base four times on Saturday as he drew a pair of walks.
Keuka College 2 vs. Houghton College 13 – 5 innings
Houghton College jumped out to a quick lead, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. The added to it with four more in the fourth. The Wolves got two back in the bottom of the fourth as John Rizzo had an RBI single and Pat Flaherty (Lockport, N.Y. / Lockport) later scored on a wild pitch. However as the rain fell, the Highlanders scored six more in the fifth. The Wolves went down quietly in the bottom of the inning and the game was called due to the weather with Houghton College defeating Keuka College 13-2.
Lead Wolf: Senior Rob LaRue continued his hot play with two more hits in Game 2 against Houghton. He has collected two hits in four straight games now for Keuka College. LaRue leads the North Eastern Athletic Conference with a .472 batting average and has eight multi-hit games on the season.
KC Notes:
- With the split, Keuka College is now 1-3 all-time against Houghton College
- Overall, it was only the second lost for Keuka College in their last 11 games
- Bryan Johnsen tied his career-high with eight strikeouts in Game 1
- While LaRue leads the NEAC in batting average, Dakota Skinner ranks second in the conference with a .456 batting average
- Dave Verrett moves into a tie for third on the season saves list. David Janiszewski and Tom Fowler own the record of the most saves in a season with three.
Coming up for Keuka College: The Wolves remain at home on Tuesday with a single, 9-inning game against the Rochester Institute of Technology. The Wolves are 1-19 all-time against the Tigers winning the last 11 meetings. Keuka's lone win came in the 2007 season.