UTICA, NY – Junior Ryan Watson (Deerfield, NY/Whitesboro) tossed a complete game shutout in game two to earn the Utica College baseball team the split on Sunday against Ithaca College at the Utica College Baseball Field. The Pioneers dropped game one 11-0 before shutting down the Bombers in game two, 3-0.

The Pioneers improve to 13-11 and return to the diamond Wednesday as they head across town to face local rival SUNY Polytechnic Institute.  The nine-inning game will take place at Peter A. Spina Field with a 4 p.m. set first pitch.

The Bombers move their overall record to 11-10 and return home Tuesday as they welcome Elmira College for a 4 p.m. scheduled start at Freeman Field.

Utica 0, Ithaca 11 – Game One Final

After two innings of scoreless ball, Ithaca got on the board with a two out rally in the third.  The Bombers scored two runs on two hits and the help of one Utica error in the third and added another score in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead.

Ithaca went on to score eight more runs over the next three innings as it closed out the game one victory 11-0.

Jerred Beniquez (Port Ewen, NY/Kingston), Eric Rightmier (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro), and Adam Pexton (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) scattered the only three hits for UC.

UC starting pitcher Josh Luczak (Ava, NY/RFA) threw 5.1 innings as he fell to 2-1 on the season.  Luczak allowed seven runs (five earned) and four walks while striking out two.

Ithaca's Benji Parkes improved to 2-3 for the Bombers as he tossed seven shutout innings allowing just two hits while striking out six.

Utica 3, Ithaca 0 – Game Two Final

The Pioneers opened up the scoring first in game two with one run in the bottom of the first off a Brandon Thomas (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) RBI single.  Thomas Woodburn (West Islip, NY/West Islip) reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and then scored on Thomas's base knock through the right side.

UC worked another run in the third inning as Woodburn crossed the plate for the second time off a throwing error by the second basemen as Utica moved to a 2-0 lead.

Utica put up an insurance run in the sixth with back-to-back hits by Thomas Dinnen (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas ) and Andrew Hobika, Jr. (Clinton, NY/Clinton) to edge a 3-0 lead headed into the final frame.  Dinnen singled up the middle and came all the way around to score on Hobika's triple down the right field line.

Watson improved to 2-1 on the mound as he tossed his second complete game of the season.  He allowed just five base runners on three hits and two base on balls and he remains atop the Empire 8 Conference in earned run average.