Winter Haven, FL – The Utica College baseball team split a pair of games against Lesley University on day one at the Russ Matt Invitational in Winter Haven, Florida on Monday. The Pioneers scored three early runs and held on for a 3-2 victory in game one. UC threatened with three runs in the bottom of the seventh of game two, but the comeback bid fell just short as Lesley came away with a 4-3 victory to earn the doubleheader split.
Sophomore
Tim Quinlan (Monroe, CT/Masuck) went 3-for-6 with an RBI on the day, while
Tom Carrigan (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) went 3-for-6 with three RBIs and two runs scored over the course of two games. Carrigan's seventh inning homer in game two sparked the three run inning, but the Pioneers 4-0 deficit proved to be too much to overcome.
Freshman ace
Griffin Baur (New York Mills, NY/New York Mills) improved to 2-0 on the year as he allowed just two runs, gave up three hits, and struck out two in 4.0 innings of work to help UC to a 3-2 victory in game one.
Kolbie Glionna (Hagaman, NY/Amsterdam) came on in the fifth inning and pitched three shutout innings, striking out three, to close the door for the Pioneers.
Utica's record is now 3-1 overall and the Pioneers will return to the diamond on Tuesday when they take on Trine in a doubleheader beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Chain of Lakes Park Field #1.
Utica 3, Lesley 2 – Game One
UC scored all three of its game one runs in the first two innings and the pitching staff stood strong as the Pioneers won their third straight contest, 3-2.
Tom Carrigan (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) got things going in the first inning for the Pioneers as he drove in
JT Ross (New York Mills, NY/New York Mills) to hand UC an early 1-0 lead. Quinlan then singled and scored Carrigan to push UC's lead to 2-0 in the first inning.
Jake Ryan (Kingston, NY/Kingston) doubled home
Brian McGuire (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer) in the second inning, and the Pioneers led 3-0 after two full innings of play.
Lesley rallied with two runs in the fourth inning, but Glionna came on in relief of Baur and shut the door, allowing just three hits in three full innings of work to guide UC to victory.
JT Ross (New York Mills, NY/New York Mills) finished game one with a 1-for-3 effort at the plate, while middle infielder's
Christian Tiffin (Sherrill, NY/VVS) and
Brian McGuire (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer) each added one hit for the Pioneers.
Lesley 4, Utica 3 – Game Two
Utica could not get the bats going until late in the contest as the Pioneers dropped a 4-3 decision in game two of the trip opening doubleheader.
Alex Rocci (Utica, NY/Notre Dame) posted a gutsy effort on the mound for UC as he threw a complete game and struck out seven, allowing just two earned runs, in the loss.
Tom Carrigan (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) hit his first home run of the season in the seventh inning for the Pioneers and he finished game two with a 1-for-3 effort and two RBIs.
JT Ross (New York Mills, NY/New York Mills) went 1-for-3 and scored one run, while
Jacob Gaboriault (Colchester, VT/Essex) added a hit for Utica.
Lesley earned a 1-0 lead in the first inning and then tacked on three more runs in the fifth inning to take a 4-0 lead headed into the bottom of the seventh. Carrigan's homer scored Ross and then
Ryan Keefe (Ballston, NY/Ballston Spa) scored on a wild pitch to make it a one run game, 4-3, with two outs in the Pioneers final at-bat. Unfortunately for Utica, that was as close as they would get as Lesley closed the door and came away with the one run victory.
