Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Utica, NY (April 27, 2104) – The Utica College baseball team dropped a pair of Empire 8 Conference games against visiting Stevens Institute of Technology on Sunday afternoon. The Pioneers held a 2-1 lead through five full innings but the Ducks rallied with two runs in the top of the sixth inning and held on for the 3-2 victory in game one.  Stevens cruised to an 11-0 victory in game two.

Utica's record moved to 7-17 overall and the Pioneers are still in search of their first conference victory (0-8). Stevens improved to 18-10 overall and 3-3 in the Empire 8. Utica senior Alec Choleva (Coventry, CT/East Catholic) went 2-for-4 with one run scored on the day.

Stevens 3, Utica 2 – Game One Final
Ryan Watson (Deerfield, NY/Whitesboro) went 2-for-3 for UC, while Adam Pexton (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) added a 1-for-2 effort with one RBI in game one.  Senior shortstop Rob Heath (Central Square, NY/Paul V. Moore) also added one base hit and one run scored in the game one loss.

Utica senior pitcher Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) threw a complete game for the Pioneers, allowing six hits and striking out two.

Stevens struck first in the top of the fourth inning when Viola drove in Allen to put the Ducks up 1-0.  UC fired back with a run in each of the fourth and fifth innings.  Choleva scored the Pioneers first run of the game and Pexton drove in Heath in the bottom of the fifth to give the Pioneers a 2-1 lead. 

UC carried its 2-1 lead into the sixth inning but a costly error led to two runs for the Ducks and the visitors hung on for the 3-2 victory. 

Stevens 11, Utica 0 – Game Two Final
Stevens tacked on eight runs in a span of three innings to open up an 8-0 lead by the fifth inning of game two.  The Ducks added three more runs in the top of the ninth inning to secure the conference victory.

Choleva led the Pioneers in game two with a 2-for-2 effort. He posted one double, one triple, one walk and one stolen base.  Thomas Dinnen (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas ) and Nick Perkins (Schenectady, NY/Schenectady) each added a hit for Utica. 

Choleva started the game on the mound for Utica, enduring four innings while striking out three.  James Richards (Rome, NY/Holland Patent) pitched the final five innings of the contest, allowing three runs and he struck out two. 

The Pioneers return to action on Monday when they wrap up the season series against Stevens at the Utica College Baseball Field. The first pitch Monday is scheduled for 12 p.m.