NEWARK STUNS ELMIRA, WINNING 8-6

By Anthony La Bonté

NEWARK, NY—With an eight run seventh inning, the Newark Pilots were able to defeat the Elmira Pioneers 8-6 in a chippy game Thursday at Colburn Park.

The Pioneers led 3-0 entering into the seventh inning, then in the bottom half, four hits, three walks and two hit batters led to eight runs scoring for the Pilots which pushed them in front 8-3. The Pioneers used the ninth inning with Manny Castro hit by pitch, Brett Baker walked, a Brandon Doubek RBI single and a Jalyn Tidwell two-run triple but the lead was too insurmountable for the Pioneers as they lose the ball game with the race for the playoffs in full effect.

Kannon VanDuzer took the loss in his six and a third innings pitched that saw the first four runs score in the seventh. Lukas Rylander had three earned passes by him through an inning pitched and Thomas Cheplick cleaned up the final inning and a third.

With the loss, Niagara’s tie with Geneva, and Olean’s defeat of Jamestown, Olean is in control of the outcome of the four seed in the West Division. Olean has three games (Jamestown, Niagara, Niagara Falls) left with the same record as the Pioneers who have just two (Geneva and Auburn). If Olean wins all three, they clinch playoffs automatically, if they lose just one the Pioneers have the head-to-head tiebreaker and need to win both.

The next game is the final regular season home game for the Pioneers Friday July 24^th for Fireworks presented by Hilliar and Southern Tier Custom Fabricators, Domestic Violence Awareness, Faith and Family, Free Elmira Heat Treating Frisbee and Bring Pet Food - Get in Free Night. For ticket information call (607) 734-2690.