Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WINTER HAVEN, FL (3-16-14) – The Utica College baseball team the opened up the season Sunday with a convincing sweep over the University of Maine – Farmington in Winter Haven, FL at the Russ Matt Tournament … The Pioneers won game one 22-6 and game two 15-1 … UC returns to the diamond Monday for a single game against New York rival Vassar College … First pitch is set for 8:30 a.m... Follow the Link for LIVE STATS…

Utica 22, UMaine - Farmington 6 – Game One

The Pioneers opened up their 2014 campaign with a 14 run victory over the UMF Beavers, snapping a three year drought on opening day … UC scored at least one run in every inning of contest … Four players recorded multi-hit games including Alec Choleva (Coventry, CT/East Catholic)'s and Ryan Watson (Deerfield, NY/Whitesboro)'s three-hit performances … Watson, a junior transfer, opened up his UC career with a three-run homer in his first at bat as a Pioneer … He finished the game going 3-for-5 with six RBI, two stolen bases and one run scored … Choleva opened up his final campaign with an impressive performance at the dish going 3-for-4 with three RBI, three runs scored and two triples.

Utica was fired up and jumped out to an early four run first with Watson's three run blast to left field, scoring junior second baseman Benjamin Hobaica (Clinton, NY/Clinton), who walked, and Choleva, who singled … The Pioneers gathered one more in the first with their speed on the base pads … Junior Vincent Burillo (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central ) walked followed by a single by senior designated hitter Donato Traditi (Lagrangeville, NY/Arlington) … The duo then pulled off a double steal before Burillo ended up crossing the dish on a passed ball.

The Beavers answered right back with six runs of their own in the top of the second off seven hits and one error to take a short lived two run lead, 6-4 … Farmington put together six singles and one double accounting for four runs and picked up another two, unearned, on a ground out and passed ball.

The Pioneers regained a slight lead, 7-6, over the next two innings after a second inning sacrifice fly and two runs on three hits in the third.

Burillo relieved starting pitcher Joshua Webb (Verona, NY/VVS) in the fourth and shut down the Beavers at the plate en route to a victory while the UC bats went on a tear scoring 15 runs over the next three innings to cap the opening game win.

Burillo allowed just four hits in four frames while striking out three and walking one … Local products sophomore Adam Pexton (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and junior Benjamin Hobaica (Clinton, NY/Clinton) combined for eight runs, five RBI, and four hits in the No. 1 and No. 2 spots … Junior catcher Thomas Dinnen (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas ) and classmate Nick Perkins (Schenectady, NY/Schenectady) each added two hits a piece … Dinnen cracked his first homerun of the year while adding three RBI and two runs scored … Perkins stole two bases and scored twice.

Utica last won its season opener back in 2010 when it edged Frostburg State, 11-9, in Fayetteville, NC (3-15-10).

Utica 15, UMaine - Farmington 1 – Game Two

The Pioneers got right back to business in the second game as they smacked the Beavers 15-1 in five innings … UC managed 15 runs on 13 hits and 11 RBI ... Including last game, UC scored at least one run in their first 11 consecutive innings to open up the season … UC scored in every frame in game one and the first four in game two.

Starting pitcher Alec Choleva (Coventry, CT/East Catholic) led Utica in game two as he got his victory on the mound and smacked his first homer at the dish … He tossed a five inning, five hit, one run gem while striking out five and walking just one.

The top of the Pioneer order paved the way in game two … Pexton and Hobaica racked up a combined seven runs on five hits and two RBI in the 1-2 slot while Choleva helped himself in the three-hole with three runs scored and two knock ins.

Burillo and Dinnen totaled six RBI on just one hit each batting in the five and six slots … Perkins added two more knocks to finish with four hits on the day.

UC jumped out to a quick eight run lead over the first two frames … In the first, Hobaica walk and later scored on Choleva's blast to left field and then in the second Utica used six hits and the help of a Beaver error to collect four more scores.

Maine would grab one run in the second on one hit and the aid of a UC mishap however would not be enough to compete with the newly revived Utica College Pioneers as UC went on to score seven more times to cap the season-opening sweep.