The Utica College baseball team used a seven run sixth inning to insure a 17-8 victory over visiting SUNYIT in game one of a non conference double header on Wednesday afternoon. The Pioneers rallied from an 8-3 deficit in game two but came up just short, falling 8-7. Senior captain Russ Haentges went 3-for-6 on the day with two towering home runs and six RBIs. Junior transfer Kevin Oquendo capped the evening going 3-for-8 with four RBIs and three runs scored, while classmate Adam Bittel (New Hartford, CT/Northwestern Region) posted four RBIs and four runs scored.

Game One Utica 17, SUNYIT 8 -

The Pioneers jumped on top early in game one tallying three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Junior Adam Bittel (New Hartford, CT/Northwestern Region) stepped up to the plate with two outs, and two men on, and drove a monster home run off the right field foul pole, scoring Anthony Di Salvo (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville) and Oquendo.

The Pioneers went right back at it, scoring four runs over the course of the next two innings. Freshman Brian Martinez-Torres hit a two-RBI double to left field in the bottom of the third inning and the Pioneers led 7-0.

Freshman Dennis Labossiere (Lincoln, RI/Lincoln), who went on to earn his first collegiate victory, was cruising through three scoreless inning until he hit a speed bump in the top of the fourth, surrendering four runs to the Wildcats. Labossiere remained resilient and completed five full innings, allowing just two earned runs, while striking out three.

Haentges' three-run home run to left field in the fifth inning gave UC a commanding 10-4 lead and secured the victory. UC would allow four more runs in the top of the sixth but answered right back with seven runs on just two hits in the bottom half of the inning to earn the nine run victory.

SUNYIT had five players tally two hits including Anthony Surber, Chris Fratini, Chandler Evans, Fred Morine and Kevin Burr. The Wildcats outhit UC 14-12, but they left eight runners on base, and the pitcher staff combined to walk 10 batters.

Game Two SUNYIT 8, Utica 7 -

The Wildcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning of game two. With two outs, Fratini tripled to center field to score Morine and Evans followed with an RBI single to give SUNYIT the early lead.

The Pioneers answered in the bottom of the second inning when Haentges hit his second home run of the game – this time to left center field - scoring Adam Bittel (New Hartford, CT/Northwestern Region) to knot the contest at 2-2.

SUNYIT posted three runs in the top of the third after Evans ripped a two-RBI double to center field and UC starting pitcher Adrian Jackson (Philadelphia, PA/Harriton) walked in a run to give the Wildcats a 5-2 lead.

The Wildcats would tack on three more runs in the fourth and managed to hold an 8-4 lead headed into the bottom of the seventh. SUNYIT starting pitcher Ethan Marr went six full innings and struck out two.

The Pioneers rallied in the seventh behind two consecutive doubles from Oquendo and Bittel, which resulted in three runs, but SUNYIT reliever Fred Morine closed the door with two strike outs to give the Wildcats a one run victory.

The Pioneers return to action Saturday and Sunday when they host Empire 8 Conference foe Stevens Institute of Technology for two consecutive double headers. Both contests begin at 1 p.m.

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