UTICA, NY - The Utica University baseball team will clash with SUNY Canton at a neutral site before hosting St. John Fisher University for its home opener this weekend. Utica and Canton will meet at 1 and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27 at Onondaga Community College before the Pioneers and Cardinals meet on Friday, March 29 at 3 p.m. as well as on Saturday, March 30 at 12 and 3 p.m.
Follow Along: While no live video or stats will be able to be provided on Wednesday, live video and stats for all Utica home games can be found via
https://portal.stretchinternet.com/utica/.
Last Time Out: The Utica University baseball team opened up league play on Monday evening with a doubleheader at Houghton University. The Highlanders captured game one, 2-1 (7 Inn.) on a walk-off before claiming game two, 9-3.
Game 1: Houghton 2, Utica 1 (7 Inn.)
Despite picking up the loss,
Kooper Knabe (Cortland, NY/Cortland) pitched a gem for the Pioneers. The sophomore went all 6.2 innings and gave up just six hits and one walk with two earned runs allowed, both of which coming in the 7th. He also struck out a pair. At the plate,
Andrew Salbinski (Essex, CT/Valley Regional),
Antonio Martinez (Sunrise, FL/Western),
Jason Story (Hilton, NY/Hilton),
Josh Duval (Utica, NY/Proctor) and
Dom Fasolo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) all had one hit. Martinez drove in Utica's lone run. The Pioneers threatened runs in the top of the 1st with runners on first and second with two away. However, Story grounded into a fielder's choice as Houghton would get out of the jam. In the meantime, Knabe allowed just two base runners over the first three innings as the game moved into the fourth quickly. After a scoreless half inning from Utica, the Highlanders had their first quality scoring chance in the bottom of the 4th. A one out single and two out single gave them runners on the corners with two gone. Knabe held tough, getting the next batter to hit a dribbler back to him to escape the jam. Following an empty 5th by both teams, the Pioneers spotted Knabe a run in the 6th. With Fasolo and
Joe Crossley (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) on first and second base, Martinez stepped in and roped a single into left to bring Crossley home for the 1-0 edge. In the ensuing half inning, Knabe worked out of another jam. With the first two Highlanders reaching base on a single and a hit by pitch, the reigning Empire 8 Rookie of the Year forced a pop out, strike out and fly out to go into the final inning with Utica up by one. The Pioneers put two runners on in the top half however, could not give Knabe an insurance run as Utica would carry a 1-0 lead into the final three outs. Houghton's first two batters reach base via hit by pitch and a base knock while a ground out would put runners on second and third with two away. The next batter drove home the tying run on a ground out before the next batter walked-off the game on a single to center with two outs.
Game 2: Houghton 9, Utica 3
Aidan McCue (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) started the game on the mound and went three innings and allowed five runs on five hits and two walks.
Kody Czternastek (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) threw three innings in relief and gave up three runs (two earned) on one hit and three walks while striking out four.
Connor Ford (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) pitched the final two innings and limited Houghton to one run on two hits with a strikeout.
Jason Story (Hilton, NY/Hilton) belted his team-leading third home run the year to highlight a 2-for-3 day at the dish. The senior also had a walk and two RBI.
Derek Holmes (Blossvale, NY/Camden) also had a pair of hits, one of which being a triple.
Caden Congdon (Cortland, NY/Cortland) went 1-for-1 with a RBI while
Dom Fasolo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) had a double. Utica went quietly in the 1st inning while the Highlanders responded with one in the home half on a two out base hit. Two innings later in the 3rd, Houghton came across to score four times to lead 5-0 going into the 4th.
Between the 4th and 8th innings, the Pioneers were only able to get five runners on base as the team struggled to find scoring opportunities. While Houghton also nearly had the minimum reach base over the 4th and 5th, the home team scored three more times in the 6th and once in the 8th to carry a 9-0 lead into the final frame. There, Utica scored each of its three runs on an RBI double by Congdon with no outs before Story blasted a long ball to right field with one away. Looking to muster a comeback, the next batter Holmes doubled to right field before an inning and game ending double play would happen.
Riding Hot: Josh Duval (Utica, NY/Proctor) is coming off a week in which he was named the Empire 8 Player of the Week. Duval hit safely in each of Utica's three games in Florida two weeks ago. The Mohawk Valley Community College transfer went 6-for-8 at the dish with a pair of doubles and three RBI. He also came across to score six different times. Duval's week was highlighted by a 4-for-4 outing at the plate in the team's win over Saint Joseph (CT) on March 13. Two of his four hits went for extra-bases while he drove in two runs and came around to score three times.
Hey Rook: Tanner Warren (Mohawk, NY/Central Valley Academy) is also coming off a league weekly award as he was named the Empire 8 Rookie of the Week last week. Warren made two starts for the Pioneers in Florida two weeks ago and went 4-for-6 at the plate with three runs batted in and three runs scored. Warren helped lead Utica to a victory over Saint Joseph (CT) on March 13 as he went 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored.
Joe Knows: Graduate student
Joe Crossley (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) is closing in on a pair of historic accomplishments as he nears 100 career hits and runs. The Marcy, NY native currently sits at 97 runs which sits third all-time and is just 12 away from breaking the all-time record. He currently sits at 97 hits and would become just the 17th player in program history to reach the century mark.
About Canton: The Kangaroos enter the week 0-14 overall on the season and will take on Hilbert College twice on Tuesday before playing Utica on Wednesday. Early in the season the team is hitting .214 with a .593 OPS while averaging just under three runs per contest. Infielder John LaPorte leads the team with a .292/.358/.333 slash line. Nick Barone has produced eight runs for the team on eight hits and five walks. The pitching staff has posted a 10.19 ERA through 14 games with 101 strikeouts and 84 walks in all. Hunter LaValley has tossed a team-high 24 innings and is 0-5 with a 7.50 ERA and 16 walks to 14 strikeouts. Kayden Guerin (0-3, 6.27 ERA) and Maxwell Rose (0-3, 10.29 ERA) have also logged over 14 innings on the bump. Utica is 14-5 all-time against Canton and have won each of the last three meetings and six of the last seven between the teams dating back to the 2019 season.
Scouting Fisher: The Cardinals enter Tuesday at 3-10 overall and 0-0 in league play. The team will host Russell Sage College for two games on Wednesday before taking on Oswego State Wednesday prior to traveling to Utica this weekend. While the team has posted a .265 batting average and 6.6 runs per game over 13 games, the duo of Brian Norsen (.414/.477/.690) and Nick Lemire (.346/.477/.423) have led the offense. Norsen, an All-Empire 8 player, leads the team with nine extra-base hits and 14 RBI while Lemire has driven in 10 runs. The pitching staff has posted a 7.94 ERA over the early goings of the year with the group led by Ethan Fulton (0-0, 5.19 ERA, 17.1 IP), Tanner Frank (0-2, 5.94 ERA, 16.2 IP) and Hunter Walsh (1-1, 6.75 ERA, 14.2 IP). Patrick McGuire has also impressed over 11.2 innings of work with an 0-1 record and a 3.09 ERA.
Up Next: Utica will travel to Houghton, NY on April 6 & 7 for four Empire 8 games. The Pioneers will meet with the Alfred University Saxons for two games on April 6 and one on April 7. The team will also play its final makeup game against Houghton on April 7.
