Winter Haven, FL – The Utica College baseball team jumped out to a 7-0 lead by the bottom half of the third inning and never looked back as the Pioneers improved to 3-0 with a 7-4 victory over Loras College on day one of the Russ Matt Invitational in Florida on Sunday.

Utica's Tim Quinlan (Monroe, CT/Masuck) hit two doubles and drove in two runs to pace the Pioneers, while sophomore second baseman Ryan Palmer (Verona, NY/VVS) went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and one double. Shortstop Christian Tiffin (Sherrill, NY/VVS) went 2-for-3 at the plate and scored one run, while Jake Ryan (Kingston, NY/Kingston) recorded one hit, one RBI and one run scored.

Utica sophomore ace Griffin Baur (New York Mills, NY/New York Mills) got the start on the mound and allowed just three hits in four innings of shutout work to pick up the victory.  Brett Sarnowski (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glenville) was stellar in relief and did not allow a hit or a run in 3.1 innings of work to pick up the save for UC.

Quinlan got the Pioneers going in the bottom of the first inning when he doubled home Palmer to hand Utica a 1-0 lead.  The Pioneers tacked on six more runs in the bottom of the third inning to earn a convincing 7-0 lead. Jake Ryan (Kingston, NY/Kingston) singled and scored Matthew Leviton (South River, NJ/South River) to start the Pioneers' third inning rally. Quinlan added a double later in the third, scoring Palmer again, to give Utica a 5-0 lead.  Matthew Fitzgerald (Clinton, NY/Notre Dame) then singled home Tom Carrigan (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) to put Utica up 6-0, before Zachary Schellenger (Schenectady, NY/Schenectady) grounded into a fielder's choice to score Quinlan to put the Pioneers on top 7-0.

Loras plated four runs in the sixth inning to put a scare into the Pioneers.  However, senior pitcher Brett Sarnowski (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glenville) came in and closed the door for the Pioneers to pick up his first save of the season.

Utica returns to the field bright and early on Monday morning when they take on Curry College in a doubleheader starting at 9 a.m. The contest is scheduled to take place at Lake Myrtle Park Field #1 in Auburndale, FL.