Houghton, NY - The Utica College baseball team defeated Houghton College 8-7 in a back-and-forth game three of the Empire 8 Semifinal Series to advance to the program's first ever Empire 8 Championship Series. 
 
Jason Story (Hilton, NY/Hilton HS) pushed across the first run of the game in the 2nd on a screaming single to second base, bringing home Matthew Leviton (South River, NJ/South River) as UC took a 1-0 lead into the home half of the 2nd inning. 
 
Both teams were held in check until the 4th inning when the Pioneers extended its lead. Michael Muentener (Fairview, NJ/Cliff Side Park) pieced a two-out single up the middle before proceeding to steal second. With Ryan Cardone (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) at the plate, Muentener stole third on what was ball four while an overthrow on the play allowed Muentener to score and give UC a 2-0 lead. 
 
UC starter Daniel Parslow (Fonda, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) allowed his first runs of the game in the home half of the 4th when the Highlanders evened the game. A leadoff home run by Wayne Rode brought the game within one while a one-out triple to right by Dylan Boprey knotted the game at two. Houghton had a chance on a one-out chopper to shortstop to take the lead; however, Muentener cut down Boprey at home to keep the game tied after 4 innings.
 
In the 5th inning, Houghton took its first lead of the game on a one-out single to left that scored the runner from second. Parslow retired the next two batters to escape the jam with a 3-2 deficit. 
 
After the Pioneers started the 7th inning with its first two batters reaching base, Houghton starter Ryan Newtown induced a 6-4-3 double play, bringing up Joe Battista (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) with two away and a man on third. Battista, the second leading hitter in the conference, came through with an RBI single down the first base line to tie the game at 3-3. 
 
Houghton regained the lead in the bottom of the 7th on a two-out, two-strike single to center by Jason Kauffeldt. Kauffeldt stole second and was singled home by Boprey to give the Highlanders a 5-3 lead. Parslow was removed following the base hit and was replaced by Brendon Sarnowski (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glenville). Parslow completed 6.2 innings allowing five runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking six on 102 pitches. 
 
In the top of the 8th inning with two outs, the Pioneers had the bases loaded. John Son (Mellville, NY/Half Hollow Hills) and Battista worked back-to-back walks to tie the game at five before Leviton went down looking with the bases still juiced to enter the bottom of the 8th with a 5-5 score. 
 
With two away in the bottom of the 8th inning, the Highlanders took the lead again on a double off the left field wall to carry a 6-5 lead into the 9th inning. 
 
Sitting on 99 career hits, catcher Matthew Fitzgerald (Clinton, NY/Notre Dame) stepped up to lead off the 9th inning and knocked a single to the left field gap, recording his 100th career hit and giving UC a runner with no outs in the final inning of play. A few batters later, Muentener hit a dribbler to third base and on the throw home, Colton Weatherwax (Schuylerville, NY/Schuylerville Central), who pinch ran for Fitzgerald, scored on a mishandle by the catcher to even the game at six. 
 
Three batters later, Zac Cronk (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Central Catholic) then came through with his biggest hit of the season. He connected for a two-out, two RBI single to center field to give the Pioneers an 8-6 lead in the 9th inning. 
 
Griffin Baur (New York Mills, NY/New York Mills) entered the game in the 9th inning with a two-run lead to close the game out. By doing so he set the all-time UC record for appearances by a pitcher (43). With one out and two on, the Highlanders made it a one run game with a single to left by Zientara. Baur struck out the next batter for the second out, tying the Utica baseball all-time record for strikeouts and with two out and two on, David Wessells flew out to center field as UC held on for an 8-7 win and a trip to the championship series. 
 
UC will hit the road to take on top-seeded #23 St. John Fisher in the Championship Series. Game one of the best-of-three series will begin on Friday, May 21st at noon. Game two will also be played on may 21st approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.