June 8, 2026
By Steamers GM Paul Welker
The Hornell Steamers carried a two-run lead into the middle innings but were unable to contain a late Dansville rally, falling 9-2 to the Gliders on Sunday afternoon at Maple City Park. Hornell jumped in front in the third inning with a four-hit rally. Gage Thomas (Bath/Mercyhurst) started the frame with a single before Michael Duncan (Eastern Mennonite) followed with a base hit. Nolan Winthrop (Pomona Pitzer) drove in the game’s first run with an RBI single to right field, and Brett Chiesa (Rowan) added another RBI knock to left to give the Steamers a 2-0 advantage. The early lead was backed by a strong start from Heath Betza (Mercyhurst), who tossed four scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out six. The right-hander worked around traffic throughout his outing and kept the Gliders off the scoreboard through the first four frames.
Dansville broke through in the fifth on an RBI double by Ethan Loop before taking control in the sixth. A combination of timely hits and defensive miscues helped the Gliders score four runs in the inning, turning a 2-1 deficit into a 5-2 lead. The Gliders added four more runs in the eighth to put the game out of reach.
Dansville finished with nine runs on nine hits, while seven Hornell errors contributed to six unearned runs. Winthrop paced the Steamers’ offense, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Chiesa also collected two hits and drove in a run, while Duncan and Thomas each scored a run. Hornell recorded six hits on the afternoon but struck out 12 times against four Dansville pitchers. Michael Relle and Ethan Loop each drove in two runs for the Gliders, while Brady Hargraves finished with two hits and an RBI. Dansville reliever Cam Hasenfus earned the victory after striking out nine over five innings. The Steamers will look to bounce back when they return to action on Tuesday when they host the Syracuse Salt Cats in a 4 p.m. doubleheader.
