HORSEHEADS, N.Y. (WETM) – It was a night of history for Horseheads baseball.

Monday night was the first-ever game for the Horseheads Hitmen in the New York Collegiate Baseball League (NYCBL). The Hitmen faced a worthy opponent in the Hornell Steamers and ultimately fell short, 8-3, at the Horseheads Babe Ruth Field on East Mill Street.

Horseheads grad Riley Loomis hit the first home run in team history with a two-run blast over the left field fence tying the game 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Fellow Horseheads grad, and current Mansfield University player Ryan Scott, connected on the first hit for the Hitmen (0-1) in the first inning with a leadoff single.

Hornell rebounded and never looked back in the fifth inning when Eli Brown scored on a fielding error. After Jason Story scored on a throwing error, Ryan Hill hit a sac fly to make it 5-2 in the sixth inning.

Nate O’Brochta was the pitcher of the night in the league after his strong performance on the mound for Hornell (1-0). O’Brochta struck out seven while allowing just four hits in six innings of work on two unearned runs.

Horseheads hosts Genesee Tuesday night at 6:30 pm. Hornell hits the road for the second of its six-game road trip to start the season when they head to Dansville Tuesday at 5 pm.