Pioneers' Mount Huge Comeback to Take Game Two Against Stevens
Utica 10, Stevens 9 (Eight Innings) -
Game Two Box Score
Stevens 11, Utica 4 -
Game One Box Score
Utica, NY (4-6-12) – The Pioneers rallied in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring seven runs, to earn a split double header with Empire 8 rival Stevens Institute of Technology. Clinton native, freshman Benjamin Hobaica led the Pioneers with four hits, two runs scored and two stolen bases on the day.
Game One
The visiting Ducks took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning on back-to-back, two out doubles. Utica answered with one run in the bottom of the first and second to knot the contest at 1-1. Hobaica doubled in the first then advanced to third on a single by junior Nick Dunbar. Sophomore standout Alec Choleva hit a sacrifice fly to score Hobaica and get UC on the board.
The Pioneers tied it up in the bottom of the second, 2-2, as freshman Vincent Burillo and senior Dan Bittel opened up with consecutive singles. Following back-to-back outs, UC’s Burilllo scored the tying run on a passed ball. The Ducks retaliated with five runs on four hits including a towering shot over the centerfield wall by pitcher Dan Allen to take a 6-2 lead.
After two innings of scoreless play, Stevens put together three runs on one hit in the top of the sixth and led 9-2. Utica converted one run in the sixth and seventh but could fell short of any rally as Stevens went on to win game one, 11-4.
Hobaica went 2-for-2 with a one double, two stolen bases and one run scored in game one, while Choleva and Burillo each added a hit and one run scored.
Freshman Sean McNeil took the loss on 6.0 innings of work allowing six earned runs and one walk. Freshman James Richards threw 2.2 scoreless innings with one strikeout on four hits.
Game Two
UC jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first two innings on five hits and the help of a Steven’s error. However, the Ducks answered with nine runs in the next three innings and pushed to a 9-3 lead. The Ducks shut down the Utica offense for five consecutive at bats before the Pioneers caught fire.
As the sun went down, in the bottom of the eighth, the UC bats woke up scoring seven runs on five hits en route to its third victory of the season.
Junior Tyler Young and Choleva opened up back-to-back singles before junior Chris Podlucky walked to load the bases. After a Stevens pitching change, senior Dan Bittel drew a walk to jump start the late rally and cut the lead to five, 9-4. UC scored two runs as the Ducks shortstop aided a ball under his legs and the Pioneers pulled within three, 9-6. After a Dunbar sacrifice fly scored Bittel, senior Ted Kreuger cut the lead to one, 9-8, as he roped a single to right center. Kreuger advanced to second on a Hobaica bunt single and then scored as Young ripped a shot to right field knotting the battle at 9-9, with two outs. UC would convert the eventual game-winning run on a passed ball as Hobaica crossed the dish before the umpires called the contest due to darkness.
Choleva went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a triple and one stolen base. Hobaica, Young and Grogan each registered two hits and one run scored in the Pioneer win.
Burillo posted the win on the hill in 3.2 innings of shutout work while fanning two and
allowing just one hit. Freshman Stephen Szatko was pulled after allowing nine runs (five earned) in 4.3 innings while striking out four. Szatko hit four batters and walked one.