Utica Takes 1st Loss in Walk-Off Fashion
Winter Haven, FL
WINTER HAVEN, FL (3-18-14) – The Utica College baseball team had its three game winning streak snapped Tuesday afternoon as Fairleigh Dickinson University – Florham won, 7-6, with a walk off single in the bottom of the ninth on day three of the Russ Matt Tournament in Winter Haven, Florida. The Pioneers were led by sophomore standout
Adam Pexton (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) who continued his hot bat going 4-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI.
UC, now 3-1 on the season, returns to the field Wednesday afternoon to face New England College. First pitch of the nine inning game is scheduled for 4 p.m. NEC currently holds a 1-2 mark after splitting with Framingham State University (W, 5-4/L, 0-14) on Monday and losing to Springfield, 12-3, on Tuesday. Utica will challenge Framingham on Thursday in a twin bill set for 10 a.m.
FDU-Florham 7, Utica 6 – One Nine Inning Game
UC didn't waste any time as it garnered three scores in the top of the first. Despite leaving two on the pads, Utica converted three hits and the h
elp of an FDU error to nudge the early lead. Pexton singled followed by a double from Empire 8/UC Athlete of the Week junior Benjamin Hobaica (Clinton, NY/Clinton) to set up the Pioneers. Senior Alec Choleva (Coventry, CT/East Catholic) would walk to load the bases for UC junior clean-up Ryan Watson (Deerfield, NY/Whitesboro) who ripped a three-run double to give Utica the 3-0 cushion.
After a quiet third inning, UC would add one run in the top of the fourth off a Pexton RBI rope to move to a 4-0 advantage. FDU answered in the bottom half of the inning with three runs on three hits to cut the deficit to one, 4-3, heading in the midway point.
After two scoreless frames of ball by both squads, three by UC, Florham used a three-run seventh to take its first edge of the game. FDU posted three scores on just two hits and the aid of two Utica mishaps as it worked a 6-4 lead into the ladder frames of the game.
The Pioneers hardnosed fight paid dividends late as they knotted up the contest, 6-6, in the top of the ninth, however would fall short as Fairleigh Dickinson University was able to manage a walk-off in the bottom of the ninth to snap UC's impressive three-game win streak.
Pexton, UC's leadoff, continued his surge with a perfect outing at the dish as the second-year star recorded his second consecutive four hit performance. The Whitesboro, NY local is leading Utica in average (.706), hits (12) and on base percentage (.750) while tallying two plus hits and runs in each game this season.
Junior newcomer
Ryan Watson (Deerfield, NY/Whitesboro) racked up four RBI for a team-best 12 on the young season. Watson started on the
hill and tossed six full allowing three earned runs on five hits while fanning six.
Hobaica posted two hits including a double and one run scored as the
Empire 8 Conference Player of the Week worked to maintain his stellar .643 mark at the plate. Batting in the two-hole, the local Clinton, NY native currently leads the Pioneers in runs scored with an impressive 13 in just 14 registered trips to the plate.