Auburndale, FL -- The Utica College baseball team dropped a pair of games against The College of New Jersey on day three at the Russ Matt Invitational in Florida on Tuesday. The Pioneers lost game one 15-1 and also fell in game two, 16-2.
Utica's record moved to 4-3 overall on the year and the Pioneers return to the diamond on Wednesday at 9 a.m. for the first of two games against Iowa Wesleyan University. The contest will be played at Lake Myrtle Park Field #1.
TCNJ 15, Utica 1 – Game One
Utica's
Jake Ryan (Kingston, NY/Kingston) went 2-for-3 in game one of the double header.
Matthew Fitzgerald (Clinton, NY/Notre Dame) posted one hit, while
Taylor Hartman (Galway, NY/Galway) registered an RBI. Chris Ramsundar also posted one hit in game one.
TCNJ came out of the gates hot and posted five runs in the first two innings to take a 5-0 lead. UC responded with one run in the third inning after a ground ball from
Taylor Hartman (Galway, NY/Galway) scored
Jake Ryan (Kingston, NY/Kingston) to account for the Pioneers' lone run of game one.
Noah Martin (Broadalbin, NY/Broadalbin-Perth) started on the mound and pitched four innings, while allowing ten hits and five earned runs.
Michael Canino (Highland, NY/Highland) came on in relief and pitched two innings for the Pioneers.
John Franchi (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) closed out the game on the mound as he did not allow a hit and struck out one.
TCNJ pieced together 10 runs in a span of three innings midway through the contest to pull away for the 14 run victory.
TCNJ 16, Utica 2 – Game Two Final
Utica got on the board early in game two when
Matthew Yozzo (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) drove in
Ryan Palmer (Verona, NY/VVS) in the top of the first inning to give the Pioneers a 1-0 lead. However, TCNJ plated 10 runs in the next three innings to pull away an eventually earn the series sweep.
Eric Sahagian (Schenectady, NY/Guilderland) got the start on the mound for the Pioneers in game two. Franchi came in for a second relief appearance of the day, and
Taylor Hartman (Galway, NY/Galway) ate up the final inning for the Pioneers as he struck out two.
UC totaled six hits in the second game. Palmer went 1-for-4 and scored once, while
Tom Carrigan (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) also tallied one hit.
Matthew Leviton (South River, NJ/South River) and
Brian Dinnen (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas) each added a hit for the Pioneers.