CLINTON, NY – The Utica College baseball team won its 20th game of the season Wednesday as it downed Hamilton College, 15-6, in the 28th Annual Jackie Robinson Game. UC was led by
Brandon Thomas (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) who earned Player of the Game for the Pioneers.
The Pioneers improve to 20-13-1 marking the first 20 win season in 23 years. The other two 20+ win teams were the 1991 and 1987 Pioneers. The 1991 squad posted a 21-8 record under Head Coach Don Guido while the 1987 team (Division I) under Head Coach
Jim Spartano went 25-7.
The Pioneers broke open a tie game in the fifth as they poured on 12 runs over the course of next three innings.. UC scored three in the fifth, four in the sixth and five in the seventh with 12 hits and the help of four walks and two Hamilton errors.
UC's
Brandon Thomas (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) had an RBI single in the fifth and a two RBI double in the seventh. Leadoff
Jake Ryan (Kingston, NY/Kingston) had back-to-back RBI's in the six and seventh while
Ryan Watson (Deerfield, NY/Whitesboro) and
Benjamin Hobaica (Clinton, NY/Clinton) chipped in with two-run hits.
Thomas went 3-for-5 on the day with three RBI and two doubles while Ryan wrapped up a career-day going 5-for-6 with four runs scored. Watson and
Adam Pexton (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) also added three hits apiece while combining for five RBI and three runs. In relief and
Josh Luczak (Ava, NY/RFA) earned his third win of the season as he improved to 3-1. Luczak tossed 6.2 innings allowing six runs while striking out two.
Ethan Bliss (Cooperstown, NY /Cooperstown) came in relief and shut down the Continentals working 2.1 innings allowing no runs and just three hits.
Utica now leads the overall series 16-12 in 28 All-Time Jackie Robinson Games. The Pioneers are right back on the diamond Thursday as it faces St. John Fisher at Murnane field in the first round of the inaugural Empire 8 Baseball Championship (10 a.m.). UC will host the tournament which will take place from May 7-9, 2015. All seven Empire 8 teams will play at least one game in the tournament. The Utica College baseball field and nearby Murnane field will serve as the venues for the tournament.
The Continentals were led by Ryan Wolfsberg who was named Hamilton's Player of the Game. HC wraps up its season with an overall mark of 16-14.
JACKIE ROBINSON ALL-TIME RESULTS:
Year Result Utica MVP/Hamilton MVP 2015 Utica 16, Hamilton 5
Brandon Thomas (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham)/Ryan Wolfsberg
2014 Utica 3, Hamilton 1
Ryan Watson (Deerfield, NY/Whitesboro) (Deerfield, NY/Whitesboro)/Alex Pachella
2013 Hamilton 6, Utica 1 Colin Henneberger/
Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn)
2012 Utica 7, Hamilton 6 (10IN)
Vincent Burillo (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central )/Sam Choate
2011 Hamilton 4, Utica 0 Terrence Reyes (UC)
2010 Utica 11, Hamilton 10 Anthony Di Salvo/Daniel Kroening
2009 Hamilton 19, Utica 5 Adam Bittel/Gideon Clark
2008 Hamilton 11, Utica 7 Scott Tagliaferi/Dan Hood
2007 Cancelled (Weather)
2006 Utica 15, Hamilton 8 John Tine/John Porges
2005 Hamilton 15, Utica 9 Bill Demma/Paul Kibbe
2004 Utica 12, Hamilton 3 Corey Rando/Pat Suarez
2003 Utica 7, Hamilton 4 Chris Smith/Jack Halas
2002 Hamilton 7, Utica 6 Chris Smith/Mike Murphy
2001 Hamilton 13, Utica 5 John Miller/Semmie Taylor
2000 Hamilton 7, Utica 4 Joe Hess/Brian Grady
1999 Hamilton 14, Utica 9 Josh Sexton/Dino Mazzota
1998 Hamilton 11, Utica 8 Kevin Glorioso/Tim Fazio
1997 Utica 18, Hamilton 12 Scott Morris /Steve Schott/Mike Peroni
1996 Utica 5, Hamilton 0 Matt Mortier/Mike Perlman
1995 Hamilton 10, Utica 2 Jeremy Mohat/Ryan Christ
1994 Utica 14, Hamilton 0 Guido Martini/Ryan Christ
1993 Hamilton 7, Utica 3 Guido Martini/Ryan Christ
1992 Utica 9, Hamilton 8 Luke VanDreason/Scott Imler
1991 Utica 10, Hamilton 1 Colin Griffin/James Potter
1990 Utica 5, Hamilton 3 Tim Maciag/Marc O'Brien/Glenn Fusonie
1989 Utica 3, Hamilton 2 Jim Kozak/Peter Wymard
1988 Utica 11, Hamilton 6 Marc O'Brien/John Martello/Andy Ryan
1987 Utica 12, Hamilton 3 Karl Brenon/Jim Korfonta
Utica leads, 16-12
