AUBURNDALE, FL - The Utica University baseball team's bats remained hot on Tuesday afternoon as the team followed up its 18-13 Monday night win over Thomas College (ME) with a 19-9 (7 Inn.) win over the Dickinson College Red Devils.
 
Utica starting pitcher Tyler Catalfamo (Albany, NY/Colonie) tossed a clean 1st inning before the Red Devils took an early lead in the top of the 2nd on an RBI single to jump ahead 1-0. The Pioneers tacked on three runs in the home half of the 2nd after a Zac Cronk (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Central Catholic) single led to an error by the Dickinson second baseman, allowing Shamariah McCullough (Brooklyn, NY/Nazareth Regional) and Joe Battista (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) to score. Another error that came off the bat of Michael Muentener (Fairview, NJ/Cliff Side Park) brought home Cronk for a 3-1 Pioneer lead.
 
Catalfamo fell into some trouble in the 3rd inning as Dickinson reclaimed the lead thanks to a four-run frame to put them ahead 5-3. Utica immediately regained the lead with three more runs in the 3rd with RBIs from Jason Story (Hilton, NY/Hilton HS), Ryan Cardone (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and McCullough. 
 
The Red Devils evened the score at 6-6 with a run in the 4th before the Pioneers began to take off from the plate. A four-run 4th for Utica followed by a four-run 5th all of a sudden put the team ahead 14-6. Catalfamo was relieved by Christian Cicchetti (West Babylon, NY/West Babylon) entering the 6th inning and Cicchetti quickly escaped the inning in four batters. 
 
Still 14-6 in favor of Utica in the top of the 7th, Dickinson scored three more times by way of a solo home run and a two-run blast to come within five runs. Brian Dinnen (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas) took the mound for the Pioneers to record the final two outs of the frame and continued his perfect start to 2022 after setting down two of three batters faced to end the inning. 
 
After RBI singles from McCullough, Cronk and Muentener, Joe Crossley (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) ended the game on a three-RBI triple that put the 10-run mercy rule into effect with a 19-9 win after seven innings. 
 
Catalfamo earned his first win of the year after five innings on the bump in which he allowed six runs on six hits. At the plate, Battista, Cardone, Cronk and Story led the team with three hits a piece while Cardone drove home a game-high four runs. Cronk and McCullough finished with three RBIs each as well. In all, Utica collected 17 hits in which five players had a multi-hit afternoon. 
 
Utica (5-2) plays its final series in Florida on Wednesday in a doubleheader against New York University from IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL. First pitch of game one is set for noon.