ONEONTA, NY – Senior running back Jesse Baldassare (Mt. Sinai, NY/Mt. Sinai) rushed for four touchdowns as the Utica College football team cemented its best record in program-history with a convincing 47-24 victory over host Hartwick College in Empire 8 Conference play Saturday afternoon.  The Pioneers are now in the mix for the program's first ECAC Bowl bid. Bid selections will be released by the ECAC on Monday afternoon. 

The Pioneers, 7-3 overall, also finished their Empire 8 schedule with a program-best 5-3 ledger in conference play.  Baldassare rushed the ball 30 times for 197 yards and became the College's all-time leading rusher to cap his career-day.  He needed 195 yards rushing headed into today's contest to break the school-record for yards rushing in a career.  His 197 yard effort did just that, as he surpassed Mike Capra as the College's all-time leading rusher. 

Senior quarterback Connor Butkiewicz (Southington, CT/Southington) added 255 yards on 14 completions, including two touchdowns, while sophomore Jerred Beniquez (Port Ewen, NY/Kingston) added four catches for 90 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown grab to give the Pioneers a 14-3 lead at the 13:00 ledger of the second quarter. 

UC's Anthony Acevedo (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) added four catches for 64 yards, while senior captain Joseph Gerbino (Mahwah, NJ/Mahwah) caught three balls for 30 yards.

The Pioneers scored 17 straight points in a span of 4:07 between the second and third quarters to take a 24-10 lead that essentially put the game away. Utica junior kicker Thomas Woodburn (West Islip, NY/West Islip) drilled his 18^th career field goal from 20 yards out with two seconds left in the first half and the Pioneers added two quick scores, both from the legs of Baldassare, at the beginning of the third quarter to take the commanding 31-10 lead with 10:55 to go in the quarter.

Utica added 10 consecutive points between the third and fourth quarters, which resulted in a 40-17 lead for the Pioneers with 13:34 to go in regulation. Woodburn knocked down a 30 yard field goal at 7:32 of the third, and Alex DeRusso (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) added a 26 yard touchdown catch for the Pioneers early in the fourth quarter to give UC a 23 point lead. 

Sophomore linebacker Juwan Wilson (South Ozone Park, NY/Holy Cross) led the Pioneers with nine tackles, including a career-high 3.0 sacks. His nine tackles helped him become the sixth player in program-history to record at least 100 tackles in a single season. Junior defensive end Nick Woodman (Utica, NY/Proctor), who entered the game ranked 14^th nationally in sacks per game, extended his conference-lead with 2.0 sacks. He now has a school-record 12.0 sacks this season. 

The home team scored with 11:10 to go in the fourth, but the Pioneers answered less than two minutes later, Baldassare's fourth TD of the day, to give the Pioneers a 47-24 lead that they would not relinquish.

Matthew McCoy (Sherrill, NY/Vernon Verona Sherrill) and Jerry Bolivar (Elmont, NY/Sewanhaka) each added a career-high four pass break ups, while senior James Lenahan (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) registered his 14^th career interception (second all-time at UC).  Karl Simpson (Temple Hill, MD/Crossland) and Frank DeNome (New Windsor, NY/Cornwall) each added a half sack and senior Rob Alexander (Dobbs Ferry, NY/Dobbs Ferry) ranked second on the team with six tackles.

Sophomore returner Jerred Beniquez (Port Ewen, NY/Kingston) now needs 15 more kick returns yards to break the school-record for return yards in a career after posting 74 on Saturday.