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Utica, NY (3-19-12) – The Utica College baseball team wrapped up its spring trip, 0-5, this past week at the 2012 Snowbird Baseball Classic in Port Gunta and Port Charlotte, Florida.  

On Tuesday, Mar. 13, UC lost a twilight doubleheader to Ohio Wesleyan by scores of 5-3 and 9-0 in Port Charlotte, FL. In game one, Utica trailed 5-0 headed into the fifth when sophomore first baseman Nick Dunbar (Granville, NY/Granville) roped a two-out double, driving in UC's only three runs of the game.  In game two, the Pioneers were shut out 9-0 and held to just five hits.  Senior designated hitter Ted Krueger (Franklinville, NY/Franklinville) led UC going 2-for-3 in the loss. Dunbar went 3-for-6 on the day.

On Wednesday, Mar. 14, Utica battled Mount St. Joseph's again, however the Pioneers' fell short as it lost 10-7 in nine innings. UC got on the board in the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back RBI singles by junior Chris Podlucky (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) and freshman Thomas Dinnen (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas ) to cut the lead to 5-2. The Pioneers would score five more runs in the seventh and eighth innings as leadoff left fielder freshman Tyler Young (Latham, NY/Hudson Valley) tallied three RBI's over the course of two innings.  Young was hit by a pitch with bases loaded in the seventh and then drove in two runs on a two-out single in the eighth.  Sophomore Alec Choleva (Coventry, CT/East Catholic) and Dinnen each went 2-for-4, while Choleva had a run scored and Dinnen had a run batted in. 

On Thursday, Mar. 15, the Pioneers faced Rhodes at North City Regional Field and lost 10-2.  Both UC runs came in the top of the ninth off singles by sophomore Rob Heath (Central Square, NY/Paul V. Moore) and Choleva.  Choleva went 3-for-4 at the plate and pitched 4.2 innings, allowing seven earned runs, while fanning four.

On the final day of the Classic, Friday, Mar. 16, UC lost to the College of Wooster, 16-4.  Utica answered a 4-0 top of the first inning by Wooster with four runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning, however the Pioneers were shut down thereafter. UC's Choleva ripped an RBI single followed by a two-RBI single by Dunbar and a sacrifice fly by Podlucky, totaling the teams only four runs.

Dunbar and Choleva have started all nine games for Utica and have each registered 30 plate appearances, five runs scored and one triple. Dunbar is currently leading the team in batting average (.385), slugging (.500) on base percentage (.448), runs batted in (11), hits (10), and total bases (13).  His most impressive stats are with runners in scoring position, where he is hitting .692, and he totaled six RBI's with two outs. Choleva is right behind Dunbar in every offensive category including batting average (.333), slugging percentage (.444), on base percentage (.367), hits (nine), RBI's (five), and total bases (12), all good enough for second on the squad.

On the mound Choleva, sophomore Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) and senior Matt Zitt (Latrobe, PA/Greater Latrobe) each had two starts while freshmen classmates Stephen Szatko (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit Valley), Vincent Burillo (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central ) and James Richards (Rome, NY/Holland Patent) made three appearances in relief.  Szatko has a team-high 10 innings pitched and nine strikeouts, despite hiiting nine batters.  Jeffers is second in innings pitched with 9.2, to go along with his four pick offs. Choleva has thrown 9.0 innings and struck out eight.

The Pioneers return to the diamond this weekend as they hit the road for a pair of double headers.  On Saturday, UC will face Rutgers-Camden in Camden, NJ before heading to Chester, PA on Sunday to face Widener.  First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. and 12 p.m., respectively.