WINTER HAVEN, FL – The Utica College baseball team extended its win streak to six straight as it swept Colby-Sawyer College Thursday in a pair of one run games at the Russ Matt Invitational. The Pioneers, now 6-1, are off one of the best starts in program history in over 20 years. The 1993 Pioneers opened up with five straight wins before finishing the season with a 9-12 overall record.

The Pioneers return to the diamond Friday morning as they wrap up Spring break with one game against the College of Mount St. Vincent.  First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Lake Myrtle Park Field #4.  The Dolphins are currently 2-3 this season and recently dropped a doubleheader to Hamilton College (Clinton, NY).

Colby-Sawyer remains winless at 0-8 on the season and returns to action Friday to face Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in a twin bill set for 10 a.m.

Utica 10, Colby-Sawyer 9 – Game One Final

After falling behind 5-0 in the first inning to Colby, UC answered back with nine runs over the next two frames to take a 9-5 lead.  Utica managed eight hits along with the help of four Charger errors as it fought to keep its win streak alive.

CSC tacked on two more runs in the third with back-to-back, two out hits cutting the deficit to two, 9-7. The Pioneers worked one more score in the top of the fourth as Ryon Lupia (New York Mills, NY/New York Mills) ripped a two-out single scoring Vincent Burillo (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central ) as Utica moved to a 10-7 lead. Burillo and Matthew DeMartino (Oceanside, NY/Oceanside) started the two out push with back-to-back singles.

The Chargers added a pair of runs in the fifth before Stephen Szatko (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit Valley) closed out the contest grabbing his second win of the season while extending UC's streak to five straight.

Freshman shortstop Daniel Priore (Utica, NY/T.R. Proctor) led the charge in game one going 3-for-4. DeMartino and Lupia each added two base knocks as well as combining for three runs. Burillo reached base three times by way of one hit and two walks and crossed the dish every time for a game-high three scores. Leadoff Adam Pexton (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) chipped in with two hits and two RBI in the win.

Starter James Corcoran (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) threw 2.2 innings allowing seven runs on seven hits before being relieved by James Richards (Rome, NY/Holland Patent) who tossed 1.2 innings giving up two scores on four hits. Szatko collected his second victory with 2.2 innings of work allowing just one hit while striking out two Chargers. He retired 8-of-9 batters.

Utica 4, Colby-Sawyer 3 – Game Two Final

After two frames of scoreless ball, UC worked a two out rally to get on the board first. The Pioneers used four hits and the help of a failed pick-off attempt to edge a 2-0 lead in bottom of the third. Benjamin Hobaica (Clinton, NY/Clinton) and Matt Rogers (Frankfort, NY/Frankfort-Schuyler) both scored on the play.

The Chargers would knot the contest up in the fifth with two runs as UC returned the favor with a botched pick-off play of its own. A fielders choice allowed Colby to even the score at 2-2.

In the sixth, Utica managed two scores on just one hit.  Another Charger error and sac fly by Christopher Wotten (Blackstock, Ontario/Cartwright) would seal the sweep as Utica heads into the final day of the Russ Matt Tourney riding the highs off a six game rush. CSC sparked one last push in the seventh with a run however Burillo shutdown the charge garnering his second win on the hill.

William Winsman (Palatine Bridge, NY/Canajoharie) tossed five frames in the start however headed to the dugout after allowing the tying run.

UC posted seven hits in the win with seven Pioneers each recording singles. Hobaica, Rogers, Bryce Patterson (Corning, NY/Corning East) and Andrew Hobika, Jr. (Clinton, NY/Clinton) each tallied a base knock and scored to cap the Utica scoring.

Empire 8 Conference Rankings

Utica currently sits atop the Empire 8 Conference with a .857 win percentage.  UC leads the league in batting average and slugging percentage. The Pioneers are batting .298 at the dish while posting a slugging mark of .367.

On the mound, UC ranks third in earned run average with a 3.44 mark behind stellar performances from Szatko, Joshua Webb (Verona, NY/VVS) and Joshua Lupzak.

Szatko is second in the conference in opposing batting average (.097) and third in hits allowed (three). The senior hurler has not allowed a run in 9.2 innings,

Webb and Lupzak are tied for second in earned runs as the duo only granted one score each to the opposition while tossing compete game victories.