UTICA, NY - The Utica University baseball team clinched an Empire 8 Tournament berth thanks to a doubleheader sweep of the visiting Keuka College Wolves on Friday. The Pioneers took game one in seven innings, 3-2, before edging out the Wolves in nine innings in game two, 8-7. 
 
Game 1: Utica 3, Keuka 2 (7 Inn.)
Jason Story (Hilton, NY/Hilton) tied the single-season program home run record with what was the game-winning solo blast in the bottom of the 6th. Dom Fasolo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and Jack Scanlon (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) had the other two Utica hits and RBIs. 
 
Peyton Newton (Weedsport, NY/Weedsport) picked up the win after going two scoreless innings in relief. He faced the minimum with just one hit allowed and no walks while striking out two. Austin Rhodes (Wappingers Falls, NY/Kennedy Catholic) made the start and dazzled over five innings, giving up two runs on three hits and four walks while striking out five. 
 
Keuka applied pressure to Rhodes early on with one run in the top of the 1st inning and another one in the top of the 3rd. The southpaw remained poised and avoided any big innings to keep Utica within striking distance. 
 
The first seven Pioneers were retired in order until Scanlon stepped up and hit an infield single to shortstop in the bottom of the 3rd. 
 
Later in the top of the 5th with the Wolves still up 2-0, Rhodes needed one out to leave a pair of runners on second and third base. On a 3-2 count, the lefty fired one past the Keuka batter for the strikeout to escape the inning. 
 
In the home half, Dom Fasolo (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) roped a triple into the right-center field gap to score Josh Duval (Utica, NY/Proctor) from first to come within a run. Fasolo came home on the next-at bat which resulted in a Scanlon ground out to shortstop. 
 
With the score still 2-2 in the bottom of the 6th with two gone, Story deposited a 1-1 pitch over the right field fence for his program record-tying 10th home run of his senior campaign. This was the difference maker as Newton set the Wolves down in order in the top of the 7th for the postseason-clinching victory. 
 
Game 2: Utica 8, Keuka 7 
Six different Pioneers threw in the game with Jack Krug (Rotterdam Junction, NY/Canajoharie) getting the start. He went four innings allowing two runs on five hits and four walks with six strikeouts. Connor Ford (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional) earned the win after facing the minimum in the top of the 5th. Tyler Catalfamo (Albany, NY/Colonie) earned the save after also facing the minimum in the top of the 9th. 
 
At the plate, Jason Story (Hilton, NY/Hilton) and John Longeretta (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) led the team with two hits and two RBIs each. Eight other Pioneers had at least one hit while Andrew Salbinski (Essex, CT/Valley Regional), Tyler Jennings (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) and Matthew Kanyuk (Mellville, NY/Hills East) all had an RBI. 
 
The Wolves chalked up two runs before Utica came to the plate by way of a bases loaded walk and a wild pitch. However, the Pioneers picked Krug up with two runs in the home half thanks to a Salbinski RBI single and Longeretta scoring on a throwing error on a Salbinski stolen base. 
 
Longeretta provided Utica with its first lead of the game in the bottom of the 3rd with an RBI single. This led the way to a four-run Utica 4th inning as the team led 7-2 going into the 5th. 
 
Keuka found the board again in the top of the 6th while Utica responded in the home half to make it an 8-3 game. The Wolves made things interesting with four runs of their own in the top of the 8th. The Pioneers were held silent at the plate as the game moved into the 9th with the team ahead 8-7. 
 
Catalfamo entered the game for the save opportunity and struck out the first batter he saw. After hitting the next with a pitch, the southpaw induced a game-ending 5-4-3 double play to help finish off the sweep. 
 
Utica (16-23, 10-7 Empire 8) and Keuka are set to wrap-up its series and the regular season at noon on Sunday.