CLINTON, N.Y. -- Hamilton College hammered out 23 hits and scored a season-high 19 runs in a 19-5 win against visiting Utica College in the 22nd Annual Jackie Robinson Baseball Game played at Royce Field on April 14.
Gideon Clark '09 was named Hamilton's Most Valuable Player. Clark went 3-for-4 with three RBI and handled eight chances at second base without an error. The Continentals (11-10 overall) haven't scored as many as 19 runs in a game since March 21, 2005, when they defeated Macalester College 23-9.
Alex Augustyn '10 went 4-for-4 and also drove in three runs for Hamilton. Augustyn hit a double for the fourth consecutive game and is tied for the team lead with eight. Wes Mayberry '11 and Justin Atwood '11 had three hits apiece and both cracked one double. Ryan Calabrese '09 and Pat Gennaco '11 chipped in two hits and two RBI apiece. Gennaco added his first career double.
Max Foster '10 pitched the first four innings and picked up the win to improve his record to 4-0. Foster allowed three runs on six hits, walked three and struck out five. Donovan Flint '11, Zak Cohen '09 and Nzaba Fonseca-Sabune '12 combined to hold Utica to just one hit during the final five innings.
Adam Bittel '11 was selected the game's Most Valuable Player for the Pioneers (2-14). Bittel hammered a two-run homer to right field that gave Utica a 3-2 lead in the top of the third inning. Jon Meyer '11 and Kelvin Cabrera '09 smacked one double apiece. Starting pitcher Andrew Dexter '12 was roughed up in his 3.2 innings. Dexter allowed nine earned runs on 12 hits, walked two and fanned one. Five Pioneer errors led to nine unearned runs.
After Bittel's homer gave Utica its 3-2 lead in the top of the third, the Continentals responded with six runs in the bottom of the frame and never trailed again. Gennaco's two-run double to left-center field was the big hit in the inning.
The Pioneers, who have lost eight straight games, still lead the Jackie Robinson Game all-time series, 12-10. Hamilton has won three of the last four games in the series.
