Senior Russ Haentges led the way for Utica, going 4-for-6 at the dish with two doubles and one run scored on the day, but it was not enough as the Pioneers dropped two close games to Empire 8 Conference rival St. John Fisher College. Freshman Dennis Labossiere (Lincoln, RI/Lincoln) pitched a complete game for Utica in game one, but the Pioneers struggled to drive runs in, as they lost to the Cardinals 5-1. Sophomore hurler Matt Zitt (Latrobe, PA/Greater Latrobe) allowed just two earned runs in game two but costly errors led to a 5-4 victory for Fisher.

Fisher improved to 26-10 overall and 11-3 in the Empire 8 after the weekend sweep. Utica dropped to 7-22 overall and 2-8 in conference play.

Junior transfer Jeremy Clark (Thorofare, NJ/Woodbury) went 3-for-7 at the plate with one double, one triple and two RBIs on the day, while senior center fielder Adam Keller added a 3-for-7 day with one run scored over the course of two games.

Fisher 5, Utica 1 – Game One Recap

The Cardinals jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top half of the first inning after an error led to an RBI triple and a sacrifice ground out to give Fisher the early advantage. Utica responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning when junior first baseman Adam Bittel (New Hartford, CT/Northwestern Region) drove in classmate Anthony Di Salvo (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville) to cut the Cardinal lead in half, 2-1. Bittel currently leads Utica with a team-best 27 RBIs this season.

Utica went on to get shut out over the course of the next six innings, stranding nine runners in the 5-1 loss. DiSalvo and Haentges each recorded two hits, while Keller, Bittel and Clark each added one.

Labossiere struck out two and forced 12 ground outs in the loss for Utica.

Fisher 5, Utica 4 – Game Two Box Score

After three and a half scoreless innings Utica took a 2-0 lead in the bottom half of the fourth inning of game two. Adam Keller got the rally going when he singled to left field and immediately stole second base. Bittel followed Keller with an RBI double to right center. Haentges backed up Bittel with an RBI double of his own to give Utica the two run lead.

Fisher responded with four runs in the top of the fifth inning. The Cardinals scored two runs on a throwing error and added an RBI double and a sacrifice fly to take the 4-2 lead.

UC would not go down easy, scoring one run in the bottom of the fifth to cut the Fisher lead to 4-3. Jeremy Clark (Thorofare, NJ/Woodbury)'s RBI triple scored freshman Joe Sportman (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) and the Pioneers headed into the top of the seventh down by one run.

Fisher tacked on its fifth run of the game in the top of the seventh and the Pioneers threatened in their final at bat to make the game interesting. Clark's RBI double with two outs scored freshman Luke Manolescu (New York Mills, NY/Notre Dame) to cut the Fisher lead to 5-4. That was as close as the Pioneers would get, falling by just one run.

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