UC Falls to Union in 30+ Run Affair - Zapata Accounts for Seven Scores
Utica, NY
Utica, NY (5-2-13) – The Utica College baseball team lost to visiting Union College, 16-15, Thursday afternoon in a 37-hit affair at the Utica College Baseball Field. Sophomore outfielder Nick Perkins had a career-day at the plate going a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, three stolen bases and two RBI while senor Angel Zapata combined for seven scores on four RBI and three runs including his second home run of the season. Six Pioneers recorded multi-hit games while five Pioneers scored at least twice in the slugfest..
Utica falls to 5-24 overall on the season and remains home as it welcomes John Jay College of Criminal Justice to the UC Field Saturday. The single nine-inning contest is scheduled for 12 p.m. The Dutchmen move their overall mark to 22-9 and wrap up the season May 4th & 5th in a home-and-home series with Liberty League rival Vassar College.
The visitors struck first with two quick runs on one hit and the aid of three stolen bases in their first trip to the plate. Union’s leadoff Vincent Esposito walked, stole second and then scored on a RBI single by Tyler Heck. Heck stole second and third and then advanced home after the throw to third got away from sohomore Vincent Burillo.
UC cut the lead to one after getting on the board in the bottom of the second with its first score of the contest. Senior shortstop Chris Podlucky walked and then stole second before sophomore left fielder Nick Perkins drove him home with a clutch two-out rope to left field.
The Dutchmen gathered three more runs, over their next two at bats, to move to a 5-1 edge. In the third. Esposito tripled to right center field followed by back-to-back RBI singles off the wood of Heck and David Peretti. Esposito tallied an RBI single in the fourth to give the visitors a four score lead.
The Pioneers responded in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run rally on four hits including a two-run blast from senior center fielder Angel Zapata over the left field wall. Freshman Matthew DeMartino sparked the rush with a double to the left center field and scored on Zapata’s long ball. Perkins followed with a double of his own, advanced to second on a sacrifice from classmate Benjamin Hobaica and then scored to cut the deficit to one run, 5-4. Junior Alec Choleva drove in Perkins on an RBI base knock.
The Pioneer surge continued into their next at bat as they worked their first lead of the afternoon with a five-run, bottom of the fifth, rally to cushion a 9-5 advantage at the midway point.
Both squads crossed the dish three times in the sixth inning as UC held on to a four run lead, 12-8, headed into the ladder frames of the evening.
The slugfest continued as Union used a five run at bat, in the top of sixth, to regain a mere one run lead, 13-12. Utica knotted the contest up in the bottom half, 13-13, on two hits including a two-out rip up the middle by Podlucky.
The visitors scattered three more runs over their final two at bats and edged a three run lead, 16-13, into the bottom of the ninth. Utica battled two scores in its final at bat however fell short as it dropped its ninth one-run defeat of the season.
The game featured 31 total runs and 37 hits including a Pioneer season-high 15 run performance.
Utica’s 7-8-9 hitters including freshman Matthew DeMartino, Zapata and Perkins, combined for eight hits, eight runs and seven RBI. Choleva and Burillo, in the No. 2 & 3 spots, each had two hits and a combined three RBI while Podlucky also chipped in two hits, two runs scored and an RBI.
As for pitching, the mound seen 12 different pairs of spikes throughout the four hour contest with the longest outing coming at the arms of its starters and their 3.1 innings. Pioneer starter Alec Choleva tossed 3.1 innings allowing five runs on seven hits while Union’s hurler Matt Yonta threw 3.1 and allowed four runs on seven hits.
Utica’s Joseph Horning was tagged with the loss after allowing three late runs on six hits in the final two innings. Union’s Quinn Rhoda earned the team’s 22nd win while Jamie Faber posted the save for the visitors