Box Score Auburndale, FL – The Utica College baseball team wrapped up its 2016 Spring trip to Florida with a 6-4 loss at the hands of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on Friday morning at Lake Myrtle Park.  

The Pioneers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first four innings of the contest, but the Trailblazers rallied with six runs in the fourth and fifth innings and held on for the victory.

UC lead off hitter Jake Ryan (Kingston, NY/Kingston) went 3-for-5 and scored one run to go along with one stolen base, while JT Ross (New York Mills, NY/New York Mills) posted one hit and two RBIs.  Vincent Burillo (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central ) added two hits and one run scored, while Christian Tiffin (Sherrill, NY/VVS) and Andrew Hobika, Jr. (Clinton, NY/Clinton) each added one hit.

Ross finished the trip with a team-best .393 batting average over the course of eight games.  He posted 11 hits and four RBIs, including three doubles. Jake Ryan (Kingston, NY/Kingston) capped his trip ranked second on the team with a .364 batting average (8-for-22) and he also stole three bases. Vincent Burillo (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central ) finished with a .360 batting average (9-for-25) and one RBI. 

The Pioneers pitched by committee as Utica's William Winsman (Palatine Bridge, NY/Canajoharie) went three innings and allowed all six runs (just one earned run) while Dom Caccioppoli (Circleville, NY/Pine Bush ) went three innings and did not allow a run.  The Pioneer defense committed six errors which led to the five unearned runs.

The Pioneers led 3-0 headed into the bottom of the fourth inning until MCLA posted three hits and three runs in the inning to knot the score at 3-3. 

In the bottom of the fifth inning the Trailblazers added three runs on three hits and two Pioneer errors to take a 6-3 advantage.

The Pioneers added one more run in the top of the eighth inning, but that was as close as they would get as MCLA earned the two run victory.
MCLA improved to 3-6 overall on the season and six different players registered at least one hit in the victory.

Utica (0-8) returns to the diamond on Friday, March 25^th when they travel to Houghton College to take on the Highlanders in the first of a three game weekend set.