Terwilliger Shines in 7 Innings, Pen Can't Close Pios downed 4-2

The Elmira Pioneers once again saw a great start squandered by ineffectiveness out of the bullpen as the Pioneers fell Saturday night  4-2. Ben Terwilliger, an Elmira native, came out and pitched a gem of 7 inning shut out baseball and it looked as though head coach Matt Burch may consider sending him back out to pitch in the 8th after back to back 1-2-3 innings in the 6th and 7th, instead, however, Coach Burch decided to hand things over to the bullpen hoping for some marked improvement. 

The Pioneers saw scoring in back to back innings again as after Jeff Mejia hit a single and moved all the way to third on back to back passed balls Preston Moore was able to ground out in a sacrificial move to score Mejia in the third to give the Pios a 1-0 lead. The pressure continued in the fourth as Mason Ruhlman hit a triple off the wall. After the triple however Cam Redding lined out to second on a bang bang play, Nathan Berg would strike out, but as the third strike came on a passed ball he reached first and no throw came protecting from Ruhlman trying to score, and then Trae Harmon was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Bases loaded situations have not been ideal for the Pios yet this year, but Brennen Dorighi was up to the challenge and hit a single to drive in Ruhlman and push the Pioneers to a 2-0 lead in the fourth.

Elmira's lead held up as Terwilliger pitched the aforementioned gem for 7 truly impressive innings. In the eighth, as the eyes of Dunn Field turned to the bullpen and out came Connor Takacs. Takacs began the outing coming back from a 3-1 count to strike out the first batter he faced, but then allowed a single, a walk, and four more singles which would account for a four run top of the eighth inning. That was all head coach Burch could see as he went out and jumbled his lineup brining in the shortstop Nathan Berg to pitch. Berg got a strikeout and a fly out to end the inning. 

The Stallions brought in their closer Henry Funaro for a six out session and he made it look easy as he put the stopper in for Saugerties as they claimed the 4-2 victory. 

These two teams clash again today at historic Dunn Field for the final time this regular season. Saugerties has won the series with two victories already, both of the come from behind variety. The Pioneers will be looking to put up a crooked number in the win column today at 4:05 pm. Get your tickets now 607-734-2690!