Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Houghton, NY – The Utica College baseball team played a doubleheader on the road Saturday against Houghton College for the beginning of Empire 8 Conference play. UC won game one, 4-3, but then fell to the Highlanders, 10-6, in game two of the series.
 
Game 1:
 
Utica entered the top of the seventh trailing Houghton, 4-2. The team would rally in the inning to score three runs to squeeze out the one-run victory. Sophomore pitcher Griffin Baur (New York Mills, NY/New York Mills) improved to 4-0 in his fourth start of the year, striking out eight batters in the process. Baur pitched his first complete game of the season as he allowed just three earned runs.
 
Shortstop Christian Tiffin (Sherrill, NY/VVS) went a perfect 3-for-3 with his bat in the first game and scored two runs for the Pioneers. Jake Ryan (Kingston, NY/Kingston) rattled off an RBI triple to start off the late game rally. Tom Carrigan (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) and Adam Nell (Vernon, NY/VVS) both doubled to continue to comeback in the seventh bringing in the game tying and go-ahead runs.
 
The Highlanders took a two-run lead in the second inning after John Zamites reached home plate on a wild pitch. Jeremy Newswanger added a third run for the team in the bottom of the fourth, holding a 3-1 lead before UC put together a comeback.
 
Victor Cavalieri was given the ball to start the game on the mound and ended up throwing a complete game. He struck out 11 batters and gave up three earned runs in the loss, as his record drops to 2-2 on the season.
 
Game 2:
 
The Pioneers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning of game two, thanks to a two RBI single from Matthew Leviton (South River, NJ/South River). Leviton batted 2-for-4 in the contest with four RBI's and two stolen bases.
 
After Utica opened up scoring for the game, the Highlanders went on to score 10 unanswered runs to seize a 10-3 lead heading into the top of the ninth inning. Matthew Fitzgerald (Clinton, NY/Notre Dame) drew a walk on balls with the bases loaded to bring in a run. Leviton followed up with another two RBI single to cut Houghton's lead to just four-runs, but the rally stopped there.
 
Alex Rocci (Utica, NY/Notre Dame) received the start on the mound, pitching three inning and allowed just two earned runs. Brett Sarnowski (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glenville) entered to relieve Rocci in the fourth and was switched out for Justin Shabman (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Kennedy Catholic) in the eighth inning. Sarnowski surrendered five earned runs and was given the loss in the contest. The Pioneers now sit at 7-5 overall and are 1-1 against conference opponents.
 
Taylor Huntsman connected for four hits in five at-bats, including two doubles. John Zamites batted 2-for-5 with one double, and led the team with three RBI's. Ethan Duryea stepped in as the designated hitter in game two, tallying two RBI's in a 2-for-4 effort at the plate.
 
Brandon Joslin earned the winning decision for Houghton, improving to 3-0 on the mound this season. Joslin threw for six innings and struck out four batters to help the Highlanders improve to 7-6 overall as a team and 1-1 in the E8.
 
The Pioneers return to Houghton on Monday, to play the third and final game of this series. The contest is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.