Pioneers Down Hamilton in 27th Annual Jackie Robinson Game
Utica, NY (4-10-14) – Junior
Ryan Watson (Deerfield, NY/Whitesboro) was named Player of the Game for Utica Thursday as he led the Utica College baseball team to a 3-1 win over Hamilton College in the 27
th Annual Jackie Robinson Game. Watson knocked in the go-ahead run late after striking out seven on the mound in the Pioneers' home-opener.
UC moves to 4-8 overall and returns to action this weekend when its heads to Ithaca College for back-to-back doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday. First pitch on Saturday is set for 12 p.m. The Continentals even their season mark at 7-7 and are back on the diamond Saturday to face Middlebury for a three game set in NESCAC action. Hamilton's starting pitcher Alex Pachella was named Player of the Game for the Continentals with a five inning effort allowing just one run while striking out five. Utica holds its ground in the series moving to a 15-12 ledger over Hamilton in the 27 games honoring Jackie Robinson.
The much awaited battle between the long-time local squads played out in old school fashion with a 3-1 decision on a windy April afternoon. Despite 11 combined hits and four errors through the first six frames, UC held a mere 1-0 lead headed into the final three innings.
The home team Pioneers edged the contest's first score in the bottom of the fourth on three hits. After back-to-back knocks from junior backstop
Thomas Dinnen (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas ) and sophomore
Matthew DeMartino (Oceanside, NY/Oceanside), senior shortstop
Rob Heath (Central Square, NY/Paul V. Moore) drilled a liner off the mound to spearhead Dinnen across the plate to take a 1-0 lead.
The next two innings faired quiet featuring just one Hamilton hit as the contest moved to the seventh inning stretch. The visitors put together two hits and one stolen bag in the seventh to knot the game up at one apiece. Utica answered right away, however, using three hits and a wild pitch in the bottom half en route to a two run win, 3-1, in its home-opener.
Watson fanned seven on the hill allowing no runs, however was not eligable for the win as
Ethan Bliss (Cooperstown, NY /Cooperstown) came in to garner his first victory of the year. Junior backstop
Thomas Dinnen (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas ) continued his hot bat going 2-for-4 with a double and one RBI while classmate
Benjamin Hobaica (Clinton, NY/Clinton) roped a base hit and scored for UC. Senior shortstop
Rob Heath (Central Square, NY/Paul V. Moore) posted a 2-for-3 day knocking in one run and scoring another while senior
Alec Choleva (Coventry, CT/East Catholic) robbed two bases along with a base knock to help Utica get back to its winning ways.
Hamilton's Pachella allowed just one score in five innings allowing five hits while counterpart catcher Mike Chiseri registered a game-high three hits for the Continentals.
The Pioneers are 4-3 on the season when posting eight or more hits with two of those losses by just one score. UC is 0-5 when working less than eight hits. Four of Utica's eight losses have been by less than three runs including two, one run defeats.
JACKIE ROBINSON ALL-TIME RESULTS:
Year Result Utica MVP/Hamilton MVP
2014 Utica 3, Hamilton 1
Ryan Watson (Deerfield, NY/Whitesboro)/Alex Pachella
2013 Hamilton 6, Utica 1 Colin Henneberger/
Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn)
2012 Utica 7, Hamilton 6 (10IN)
Vincent Burillo (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central )/Sam Choate
2011 Hamilton 4, Utica 0 Terrence Reyes (UC)
2010 Utica 11, Hamilton 10 Anthony Di Salvo/Daniel Kroening
2009 Hamilton 19, Utica 5 Adam Bittel/Gideon Clark
2008 Hamilton 11, Utica 7 Scott Tagliaferi/Dan Hood
2007 Cancelled (Weather)
2006 Utica 15, Hamilton 8 John Tine/John Porges
2005 Hamilton 15, Utica 9 Bill Demma/Paul Kibbe
2004 Utica 12, Hamilton 3 Corey Rando/Pat Suarez
2003 Utica 7, Hamilton 4 Chris Smith/Jack Halas
2002 Hamilton 7, Utica 6 Chris Smith/Mike Murphy
2001 Hamilton 13, Utica 5 John Miller/Semmie Taylor
2000 Hamilton 7, Utica 4 Joe Hess/Brian Grady
1999 Hamilton 14, Utica 9 Josh Sexton/Dino Mazzota
1998 Hamilton 11, Utica 8 Kevin Glorioso/Tim Fazio
1997 Utica 18, Hamilton 12 Scott Morris /Steve Schott/Mike Peroni
1996 Utica 5, Hamilton 0 Matt Mortier/Mike Perlman
1995 Hamilton 10, Utica 2 Jeremy Mohat/Ryan Christ
1994 Utica 14, Hamilton 0 Guido Martini/Ryan Christ
1993 Hamilton 7, Utica 3 Guido Martini/Ryan Christ
1992 Utica 9, Hamilton 8 Luke VanDreason/Scott Imler
1991 Utica 10, Hamilton 1 Colin Griffin/James Potter
1990 Utica 5, Hamilton 3 Tim Maciag/Marc O'Brien/Glenn Fusonie
1989 Utica 3, Hamilton 2 Jim Kozak/Peter Wymard
1988 Utica 11, Hamilton 6 Marc O'Brien/John Martello/Andy Ryan
1987 Utica 12, Hamilton 3 Karl Brenon/Jim Korfonta
Utica leads, 15-12