PGCBL 
OFFICIAL SITE OF THE
ELMIRA PIONEERS
PIONEERS WALK IT OFF AT HISTORIC DUNN FIELD 11-10 OVER NEWARK
By Anthony La Bonté
ELMIRA, NY—Ryan Jones’ soft grounder in the bottom of the ninth looked like it would bring the game into extra innings, before an infield error allowed Ryan Gabianelli to score the walk-off run for the Elmira Pioneers, Wednesday night, at Historic Dunn Field.
In a game that saw a combined 12 errors (three by the Pioneers, nine by the Newark Pilots), the late inning defensive breakdown by the Pilots allowed the Pioneers to capitalize in the 9th.
Through the first three innings the score was 8-3 in favor of Elmira, by the bottom of the 9th, the Pilots were able to battle all the way back to take the lead 10-9. The first two batters in the bottom half, for the Pioneers, would get out leaving it down to Michael Gardner who knocked a lined single for the tying run on. Next up was Gabianelli who would drop a ball into centerfield that looked to be a double with Gardner on third, until the centerfielder missed the grounder that brought a score home and put Gabianelli 90 feet away from winning the game. Tysan Gingerich would be hit by the pitch, which then led to Jones. Jones would hit a ground ball over to the third baseman for Newark, but a miscalculation on the transition from glove to throwing hand put the ball on the ground. Gabianelli crossed home plate and the bench went to mob their catcher, Jones.
Each Pioneer in the lineup was able to reach base in the game—Jones only reached on a pair of errors—with a final total of eight hits and ten walks. Both Gardner and Gabianelli had two hits, while Jack Tubman had three RBI on the night.
Thomas Cheplick was given the win, after pitching the final two innings of the game, not allowing a run.
The Pioneers improve their record to 5-3, with their next game against the Geneva Red Wings, in Geneva, on Thursday, Jun. 11. The next game at Historic Dunn Field is Friday, Jun. 12, against the Auburn Doubledays, with a fireworks presentation by Centralus Health. For ticket information contact the box office at (607) 734-2690.