Box Score #19 Ithaca 14, Utica 4 Box Score

Utica, NY (4-15-12) – The Utica College baseball team lost Sunday, 14-4, to nationally-ranked No. 19 Ithaca College at the Utica College Baseball Field.  Senior Dan Bittel (New Hartford, CT/Northwestern Region) and freshman Thomas Dinned each recorded one hit, one run scored and one RBI to lead the Pioneers.

UC drops to 4-20 overall as well as 1-7 in the Empire 8 Conference while the Bombers improve to 18-4-1 including an 8-1 mark in the E8.  UC returns to the diamond Wednesday as it squares off against cross-town rival SUNYIT for an afternoon doubleheader at the UC Baseball Field.  The Bombers will host the University of Rochester on Tuesday at Freeman Field in Ithaca, NY.

The visiting Bombers managed to take a 9-0 lead over the course of the first five innings while their freshman pitcher Jimmy Wagner blanked the first nine batters. Freshman Nick Perkins (Schenectady, NY/Schenectady) broke up the perfect game by leading off the fourth with a rope to right center field. 

Wagner went on to retire six of the next seven Pioneers as he finished the afternoon tossing a two-hitter in six complete innings of work while fanning five and allowing no runs. 

IC put together a four run seventh inning on two hits and the help of three walks to take a 13-0 advantage.  The UC offense finally got on the board in the bottom half of the inning scoring four runs on four hits.  UC opened up the at bat with four straight hits including an RBI double by Bittel to give Utica its first run of the afternoon.  Dinnen followed up with an RBI single for the second score and loaded the bases, still with no outs.  Sophomore Rob Heath (Central Square, NY/Paul V. Moore) drew an RBI walk to keep the no out rally going.   However, an unassisted Ithaca double play by the shortstop put an end to the Pioneer rush as it went on to complete the three-game sweep.

Junior's Nick Dunbar (Granville, NY/Granville) and Chris Podlucky (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) each added one hit and one run scored for the Pioneers.

Sophomore Alec Choleva (Coventry, CT/East Catholic) is now 1-4 as he threw 5.0 innings allowing nine runs (four earned) on nine hits and recording four strikeouts.