Utica 15, John Jay 11 Box Score

Utica, NY (5-6-11) - The Utica College Baseball team won its second consecutive game Friday as they beat John Jay College 15-11 at the UC Baseball Field. The Pioneers are now 8-24 overall including a 5-8 mark in the Empire 8 Conference and have won six of their last 11 games. Senior Sean Fisher (Walton, NY/Walton Central) recorded his first win of the season as tossed four shut-out innings and struck out five while allowing only one hit.

The Bloodhounds (9-29, 5-5 CUNYAC) jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning on four hits and a Utica error. UC answered in the bottom half with three, two-out, runs on three hits and the help of two John Jay errors. Senior Adam Bittel (New Hartford, CT/Northwestern Region) roped a double to the left field gap scoring senior captain Anthony Di Salvo (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville) from third and sophomore Nick Dunbar (Granville, NY/Granville) from first. Junior John Grogan (Albany, NY/Albany) then knocked in his ninth RBI of the season with a single to left field, scoring last night's unsung Ted Krueger (Franklinville, NY/Franklinville), as Utica cut the deficit to 5-3.

Sophomore pitcher Dennis Labossiere (Lincoln, RI/Lincoln) shut down the visitors in the top of the second as he fanned two Bloodhounds. The Pioneer offense put together four runs in the bottom of the second on four hits to take their first lead of the afternoon. Bittel ripped his second RBI double, in as many innings, while Krueger, freshman Alec Choleva (Coventry, CT/East Catholic) and sophomore Chris Podlucky (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) tallied one apiece to push UC ahead 7-5.

John Jay retaliated with six runs on seven hits in their next two at bats and regained the lead 11-7. In the bottom of the fourth, Utica cut the lead to three runs as Bittel continued his hot bat with an RBI single to right field. Fisher relieved Labossiere in the top of the fifth and retired the next 12-of-13 batters while the UC offense converted seven runs over the next three innings en route to consecutive victories.

The top of Utica's order, Di Salvo, Podlucky and Dunbar, combined for six hits and nine of the Pioneer runs, with Podlucky registering two RBI's. Krueger and Grogan combined for six runs batted in, five hits and two runs scored in the sixth and seventh slot, while Bittel was responsible for seven UC runs on four RBI's and three runs scored.

The Pioneers return to the diamond Saturday as they host conference rival Ithaca College at the Utica College Baseball Field. Saturday's contest is Senior Day and the nine-inning game is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. On Sunday, UC wraps up its season with a double header against the Bombers set to begin at 12 p.m.