Auburndale, FL – The Utica College baseball team took on Fredonia in a doubleheader to continue its trip down in Florida. The Pioneers fell 12-4 in game one before bouncing back to earn their first win of the season, 7-4, in the second game.
Game 1
Tim Quinlan (Monroe, CT/Masuck) and
Jacob Gaboriault (Colchester, VT/Essex) both went 2-for-3 at the plate in the opening game of the set. Gaboriault tallied two RBI's and scored one run, while Quinlan rattled off a double.
Ryan Palmer (Verona, NY/VVS) batted 1-for-3 and
Maki Medici (Latham, NY/Shaker) was 1-for-2, as each scored one run in the loss.
Freshman pitcher
Matthew Doncell (Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream) was given the start on the mound, striking out two batters in just over two innings of work. Doncell received the losing decision, starting the season 0-1 as a starter.
Kyle Bailey (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Central Catholic) and
Taylor Hartman (Galway, NY/Galway) came into the game as relievers, combining for over four innings pitched and allowing just four earned runs.
Fredonia took an early lead, scoring four runs in the top of the first. UC scored two runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning to cut Fredonia's advantage to 4-2. Each team would add two more runs to the their total in the second, before the Blue Devils would go on to score six unanswered runs to seal the game with an eight-run separation.
Game 2
Tim Quinlan (Monroe, CT/Masuck) connected for two doubles in three at bats, recording two RBI's.
Matthew Leviton (South River, NJ/South River) also went 2-for-3 at the plate in game two with one RBI, while
Nate Palmer's (Verona, NY/VVS) 1-for-4 effort was capped off with two RBI's.
Christian Tiffin (Sherrill, NY/VVS) and
Christopher Ramsundar (Schenectady, NY/Schenectady) each made contact for one double in the win.
Nate Palmer (Verona, NY/VVS) and
Matthew Leviton (South River, NJ/South River) both stole two bases.
After four innings of work, starting pitcher
Sean Morris (Califon, NJ/Voorhee), tallied five shutouts on his way to earning the winning decision.
Joe Palmieri (West Islip, NY/West Islip) entered in the fifth inning in relief, striking out three batters and surrendering no hits or runs during his time on the mound.
UC had an explosion with the bats in the second, bringing around six runs to score before the inning was over. Fredonia stayed in the game with a four-run inning in the third, but Utica maintained its advantage. Quinlan's sacrifice fly in the sixth provided further cushion for the team, securing the 7-4 win.
The Pioneers are now 1-5 overall with two days remaining in the trip down south. The team will face Cornell College (9 a.m.) and Marymount University (12:30 p.m.) on Wednesday.
