UTICA, NY - The Utica University baseball team downed the visiting Russell Sage College Gators in seven innings on Tuesday early evening, 17-7. 
 
Andrew Salbinski (Essex, CT/Valley Regional) finished a triple shy of the cycle as the sophomore went 4-for-4 with a pair of singles, a double, and a towering grand slam in the 5th inning. Salbinski also walked once to reach base safely in each plate appearance while driving in seven runs and scoring three. 
 
John Longeretta (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) went 3-for-4 with a walk and four runs scored. Joe Crossley (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) totaled a pair of hits with a triple in as many at-bats to go with two walks, two RBIs and five runs scored. Josh Duval (Utica, NY/Proctor), Dom Fasolo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and Steve Sclafani (North Massapequa, NY/Farmingdale) all had a pair of hits as well. 
 
Jack Krug (Rotterdam Junction, NY/Canajoharie) picked up his third victory of the year after going five-plus innings allowing six runs (four earned) on five hits and six walks. Jordan Henkel (Melville, NY/Walt Whitman) tossed the final two innings and allowed one run on three walks and no hits. 
 
Sage jumped on Krug early with two runs in the top of the 1st. After the first two batters reached on a hit and a walk, both moved up one base to second and third on a wild pitch. The next batter, James Lubanski, singled up the middle to bring the pair home. 
 
The Pioneers responded not long later in the bottom of the 3rd. Salbinski started the scoring spree with a base hit up the middle that scored Fasolo from second. On the same play, a misplay by the center fielder allowed Crossley to keep running from first base and score to tie the game. Sclafani later singled home Salbinski to give Utica a 3-2 edge. 
 
Following a quick top half of the 3rd by Krug, the Pioneers added three more runs in the bottom half thanks to an RBI double off the bat of Salbinski, a Jack Scanlon (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) RBI groundout and a Sclafani single. 
 
While the Gators added two runs in the top of the 4th to make it a 6-4 game, Utica once again tacked on three runs. With two outs, Crossley drove one deep to center that got over the fielder's head for a triple, scoring Jason Story (Hilton, NY/Hilton) from second and Longeretta from first. A couple of pitches later, Crossley came home on a wild pitch to make it 9-4. 
 
Utica went on to put up six runs in the bottom of the 5th which was highlighted by a two-out grand slam to right field by Salbinski to blow the game open to a 15-4 Pioneer lead. 
 
Sage extended the game with two runs in the top of the 6th and one in the 7th as the Pioneers went to the plate in the home half needing two runs to end the game early via run rule. And that they did. 
 
Longeretta and Crossley each walked to set the team up with runners on first and second with one out. Salbinski drove home Longeretta on a single while Crossley moved to third. During the next at-bat, Salbinski swiped second base on a low throw that kicked away from the base and allowed Crossley to go home from third to end the game. 
 
Utica (9-17, 4-7 Empire 8) will get right back to it on Wednesday when the team travels to face SUNY Oneonta at 4 p.m.