AUBURNDALE, FL – The Alfred University baseball team picked up their first varsity win in program history as part of a double-header against Martin Luther College on Tuesday.
The Saxons (1-4, 0-0 Empire 8) won the first game 13-12, while losing the second game 29-11.

"It was great to get that first win," Head Coach Brian Kehew. "The team refused to quit, showing a lot of fight and resilience. Each member contributed to the victory. Gabe was especially fun to watch today with a huge day at the plate."

Game One

Ashton Goring (Brampton, ON, Canada/Cardinal Ambrozic Secondary) got the initial nod for the Saxons, going 4.1 innings and striking out five for Alfred University.

The offense found rhythm early in the first inning, as Benjamin Weimer (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) hit an RBI single to drive in Nolan Pridmore (Toronto, ON, Canada/ Etobicoke Collegiate Institute). Moments later, an RBI double from Dylan Guthrie (Alfred, NY/Alfred-Almond) extended the lead for AU. Martin Luther responded with six runs in the bottom half of the first inning to force the Saxons to play from behind.

Alfred University began to rally in the third inning, with Anthony Cortez (Los Angeles, CA/Legacy) knocking an RBI double to cut the deficit with Pridmore and Weimer scoring. In the following inning, an RBI single from Pridmore had AU trailing by a single run. Martin Luther then allowed a pass ball, which brought in Cameron Brought (Wellsboro, PA/Wellsboro Area) to tie the game. Martin Luther took back their lead by adding four runs in the fifth inning.

The comeback for Alfred University began in the sixth inning, thanks initially to an RBI double from Brought. A single from Pridmore to right field eventually drove in Brought. Gabe Cheddie (Toronto, ON, Canada/Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute) joined the offensive parade, hitting a single to bring in Pridmore. With men on base, Michael Ciardiello (Rutherford, NJ/Moore Catholic) hit a bomb to left field to allow Cheddie and Guthrie to score. Martin Luther answered with a single run in to take the lead in the bottom half of the sixth inning.

In the seventh inning, Guthrie hit an RBI single up the middle to equalize the game. Quinton Jordan (Olean, NY/Olean) was responsible for the go-ahead RBI to bring Weimer across the plate. In the final inning, Weimer shut out Martin Luther to pick up the victory for Alfred University.

Game Two

Charlie Rapos (Warkworth, ON, Canada/Campbellford District) was one of four pitchers for the Saxons to see time on the mound in the second game.

Martin Luther was the first to get on the scoreboard, piling on three runs between the first two innings of action. The first run from Alfred University came in the second inning, as Cortez scored from third base on a wild pitch. Pridmore continued to impress throughout the afternoon, as an RBI single drove in Jeff Petrozzini (Hopewell, NJ/Hopewell Valley) and Jaymes Buddenhagen (Hortonville, NY/Sullivan West) to tie the game. Cheddie hit the first home run in program history following a rocket to right field.

Consistent offensive output from Martin Luther put Alfred University into a deficit. In the sixth inning, an RBI double from Cheddie was followed by Weimer's first home run of the spring season. Martin Luther scored four more runs to eventually close out the game with a split.

Alfred University will next face Wentworth Institute of Technology as part of a four-game stretch beginning on Thursday.