Photo Gallery

Utica 6, RIT 2 - Game Two Box Score

RIT 12, Utica 0 - Game One Box Score

Utica, N.Y. (4/22/2011) – The Utica College baseball team rebounded from a 12-0 loss in game one, by scoring six runs in the first two innings of game two, to earn a 6-2 victory in the nightcap against visiting RIT in Empire 8 Conference action Friday afternoon. Freshman pitcher Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) won his first collegiate game, striking out three, in a complete-game victory on the mound for Utica in game two.

Senior first baseman Adam Bittel (New Hartford, CT/Northwestern Region) drove in four runs in game two, going 2-for-3 at the plate, to spark the Pioneers' first home win of the season. UC (3-20, 2-5 Empire 8) held the visiting Tigers (9-12, 2-2 Empire 8) to just four hits in the game two victory. Senior third baseman Anthony Di Salvo (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville) went 2-for-3 with two runs scored in game two, while freshman Alec Choleva (Coventry, CT/East Catholic) went 2-for-4 with one run scored. Senior Joe Sportman (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) and freshman Terrence Reyes each added one hit and one RBI in game two.

Bittel's two-RBI single in the top of the first started the Pioneers early rally in game two. Sportman added his lone RBI single of the day and Reyes successfully executed a sacrifice squeeze to give UC a 4-0 lead after one inning of play.

Bittel hit another two-RBI single in the top of the second inning to put the Pioneers on top 6-1. Jeffers scattered four hits and allowed just one more run over the course of the final five innings to help the Pioneers' to their second conference victory of the year.

UC was held to just three hits in game one and imploded in the top of the fifth inning, allowed ten runs, as the Pioneers lost 12-0.

Sportman, Bittel, Choleva and Di Salvo each posted two hits on the day and sophomore short stop Chris Podlucky (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) added two runs scored for Utica. Sophomore pitcher Dennis Labossiere (Lincoln, RI/Lincoln) pitched 4.1 innings and struck out one in the game one loss for UC.

Utica returns to action on Saturday when the Pioneers complete the weekend series at home against RIT. The first pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.

                                                              --- www.ucpioneers.com ---