Baseball | 4/21/2023 6:59:00 PM
UTICA, NY - The Utica University baseball team secured another Empire 8 series win, as well as wins 20 and 21 on the year, with a doubleheader sweep of the Medaille University Mavericks on Friday.
With his win in game two, Kooper Knabe tied the single season record for victories in a year with his seventh.
Utica 19, Medaille 2 (7 Inn.)
Brendan May led the charge at the plate going 5-for-5 with a triple, two doubles and three RBIs. Joe Battista put together a three-hit game with four runs scored and an RBI. Tyler Jennings and John Son had two hits each as well.
Ryan Cardone earned his third win of the season after going six innings, allowing two runs on eight hits and no walks while striking out four. Aidan McCue tossed the final inning and allowed just one baserunner via walk while striking out each of the other three batters he faced.
Utica jumped on the board quickly after a one-two-three top of the 1st by Ryan Cardone. Joe Crossley singled to open the game and advanced to third base following a sacrifice bunt by Dom Fasolo and a groundout by John Son.
After a Joe Battista Walk, John Longeretta singled home Crossley and ultimately Battista after a fielding error by the right fielder. Brendan May went on to single home Longeretta to put the Pioneers up 3-0 after one full.
Both sides went scoreless in the 2nd inning despite each having runners in scoring position. Cardone escaped another jam in the 3rd inning. He allowed the first two Medaille batters to reach base but forced a lineout, a fielder's choice and a strikeout to keep the Mavericks off the board.
The offense gave him plenty of run support in the bottom of the 3rd as the team batted around for a seven run frame and a 10-0 lead going into the top of the 4th. Once again, Cardone set the Medaille side down in order while Utica also failed to score in the bottom half as the game moved to the 5th with the Pioneers still ahead by 10 runs.
Medaille would find the board in the top half for its first two runs of the game by way of a two-out RBI double immediately followed by an RBI single. Cardone got out of the inning though with the minimal damage done.
Utica batted around for the second time of the game in the bottom of the 6th inning and scored nine runs before Aidan McCue came in to pitch the 7th to finish off game one.
Utica 12, Medaille 1 (7 Inn.)
Brendan May, John Son and Jason Story each turned in three-hit performances while John Longeretta, Jack Bono and Micah Fiorello all had two hits in the win. Story, Fiorello and Joe Battista finished tied for the team lead with two RBIs.
Knabe's fourth complete game of the year came in record settling fashion as he tied the single-season program record with his seventh win of the year. He also did so while carrying a no-hitter into the 7th inning.
In all, the freshman went all seven frames allowing one unearned run on two hits, two walks and a hit by pitch while striking out five.
Starter Kooper Knabe made quick work of the Medaille order in the top of the 1st, setting the side down in order in just nine pitches. Utica gave its freshman pitcher plenty of insurance during its first trip to the plate batting around again. A two-RBI double by John Longeretta was followed by a two-RBI single by Jason Story for a quick 4-0 lead. The team's final run came on a fielder's choice off the bat of Steve Sclafani and just like that, the Pioneers held a 5-0 lead entering the 2nd.
As Knabe went one-two-three again in the top half, Utica added another run in the bottom half of the frame with a Joe Battista sacrifice fly to make it a 6-0 game after two full.
The E8 Pitcher and Rookie of the Year candidate continued to deal through the 3rd, once again mowing down the Mavericks in order before allowing his first baserunner with two outs in the top of the 4th on a hit by pitch. That runner would go on to score on a passed ball, an error on a pickoff attempt at second and a wild pitch all during the same at-bat to make it 6-1. However, despite walking back-to-back hitters, Knabe worked out of the inning with his no-hitter intact.
Utica got the run back in the home half thanks to another sacrifice fly by Battista which drove in May, who reached with a leadoff double. Micah Fiorello drove home two more later in the frame on a base knock to center to put the team up 9-1 entering the 5th.
Another pair of clean sheets tossed by Knabe in the 5th and 6th innings kept his search for a no-hitter alive as well as the team's 9-1 lead. The offense went on to add three runs in the bottom of the 6th as the team looked to end the game in the 7th while Knabe looked to complete the program's first no-hitter since 2014.
Although Knabe lost the no-hitter on a leadoff single to open the inning, he finished strong to move to 7-0 on the season and help improve the team to 21-9.
Utica (21-9, 12-2 Empire 8) and Medaille will complete the three-game series at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Prior to the game, the team will honor its seniors which will be followed by a dugout dedication ceremony.