HOUGHTON, NY – The Utica College baseball team wrapped up its 2017 campaign on Sunday as the Pioneers lost to SUNY Canton in Empire 8 Conference action at neutral site Houghton College. The Pioneers led 6-3 in the top of the third inning, but the Roos rallied with six unanswered runs in their final four plate appearances to steal the victory and spoil UC's chances at an Empire 8 Conference Tournament bid.
The Pioneers wrapped up their 2017 season with an 18-18 overall record, including an 8-10 ledger in Empire 8 play. UC finished the year in fifth place in the conference standings and missed out on a conference tournament bid by just one victory.
Canton's record improved to 10-27 overall and 4-14 in the Empire 8.
The Pioneers posted 11 hits in the contest and they were led by a 3-for-4 effort from star third baseman
Tim Quinlan (Monroe, CT/Masuck). Quinlan also drove in three runs in the nine inning contest.
Jake Ryan (Kingston, NY/Kingston) went 2-for-5 in the game, while catcher
Zachary Schellenger (Schenectady, NY/Schenectady) added a 2-for-3 effort with one RBI.
Haydn Demers-St. Hilaire (North Lawrence, NY/St. Lawrence Central) and
Justin Bodley-Bjorklund (Washington, DC/St. Johns) each pitched 4.0 innings on the mound for Utica. Demers-St. Hilaire struck out three and allowed three earned runs, while Bodley-Bjorklund struck out two and allowed three runs as his record moved to 3-2 overall on the year.
The Pioneers jumped out to a 3-0 first inning lead when
JT Ross (New York Mills, NY/New York Mills) doubled to left field and scored
Jake Ryan (Kingston, NY/Kingston). Quinlan followed with an RBI single to center field, and Schellenger scored Quinlan on a single to cap the first inning scoring.
Canton knotted the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the first inning.
Quinlan added a two-RBI single in the second inning to hand the Pioneers a 5-3 lead. UC then took a 6-3 advantage in the third inning after a fielder's choice and an error by the Roos, scoring Shellenger.
Canton tied the contest up on a three run home run by Douglas in the fourth inning. The Roos then added two more runs in the fifth and an insurance run in the seventh to earn the 9-6 lead.
