Utica, NY – The Utica College baseball team swept SUNY Poly during Wednesday's non-conference doubleheader by scores of 4-2 and 12-11. The two wins on the day improve the Pioneers' record to 17-12 overall. Utica has now won six of its last seven games and also improved to 11-1 at home.  The Pioneers posted eight runs in the bottom of the seventh inning in game two to rally from an 11-4 deficit to earn the walk-off sweep.
 
Prior to the start of Wednesday's games, the Pioneers welcomed a new member to the squad, six-year-old Gavin Lamica. Gavin and the Pioneers partnered with the Team IMPACT program, a non-profit group attempting to better the lives of children facing terrible diseases, to make Gavin an official Utica College Pioneer. Gavin Lamica made his Pioneer debut on the mound as he threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the doubleheader.
 
Game One:
In the first contest of the doubleheader, the visiting Wildcats scored first with one run in the second inning. UC responded with runs scored in both the second and third innings to take a 2-1 lead. SUNY Poly was able to tie it up in the top of the fifth inning making the score 2-2. In the bottom of the fifth, the Pioneers put the game away after Tom Carrigan (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) doubled to left field to score the game's final two runs to give Utica the victory.
 
Carrigan batted 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI's in the game, while Tim Quinlan (Monroe, CT/Masuck) went 2-for-2 and scored one run. Stephen Soria (Mahwah, NJ/Mahwah) finished 2-for-3 in the contest and scored one run. The starting pitcher Justin Bodley-Bjorklund (Washington, DC/St. Johns) pitched a complete game earning the win, making his record now 3-1 this season.
 
Ryan Wegner and Dante Rose both batted 2-for-4 in the game for SUNY Poly. Connor Manderson went 1-for-3 with an RBI, while Chris Nicotera finished 1-for-2 with one RBI. Sawyer Haney received the loss on the mound for the Wildcats, making his record on the season, 2-3.
 
Game Two:
SUNY Poly took control of the game and began to run away with it, as the Wildcats owned a 10-0 lead going into the bottom of the fifth inning. The Pioneers finally got on the board thanks to JT Ross (New York Mills, NY/New York Mills) scoring on Tim Quinlan (Monroe, CT/Masuck)'s ground out to third base. UC continued to put points on the board in the sixth inning, making the score 10-4 going into the top of the seventh. SUNY Poly added one more run in the seventh, but the Pioneers were ready to rally. Utica scored eight runs in the seventh inning, capped off by Derrin Lilley (Utica, NY/Proctor)'s walk-off single, to come back and win the game.
 
Derrin Lilley (Utica, NY/Proctor) was the hero of the game as he went 2-for-3, including the walk-off single to bring in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Ross batted 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBI's. Tom Carrigan (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) finished 2-for-3 with two doubles and also had three RBI's. Kolbie Glionna (Hagaman, NY/Amsterdam) received the win as he pitched two full innings and allowed just one run. Glionna's record improves to 1-3 so far this season.
 
SUNY Poly's Ryan Wegner batted 2-for-3 with three RBI's, and finished the game on the mound earning the loss to make his record 0-1. Connor Manderson went 2-for-5 with one double and one RBI, while Josh Rodriguez finished 2-for-2 with one RBI and three runs scored. Jared Muraca started on the mound, pitching five innings and allowing just one run in the game.
 
The Pioneers will return to action on Thursday for an Empire 8 matchup on the road against St. John Fisher. The game is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.