UTICA, NY - The Pioneers returned to their home soil for the first time in 19 days on Wednesday afternoon against the Keuka Wolves. In a key matchup for both teams, the Pioneers struggled for the majority of the proceedings before flipping the switch in the bottom of the ninth to steal yet another victory in an emphatic return to their home diamond.
 
Despite the offense coming alive in the final moments, the Pioneers' savior came in the form of Connor Ford (Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional), who held the line for five spectacular innings as he shut the Wolves out for his entire outing. Ford took over in the fifth frame, giving up just a single hit while striking out three Keuka batters to blank the Wolves for his entire five-inning spell. For his efforts, Ford was rewarded with his first win of the season, completing another come-from-behind victory that has become the Pioneers' staple this year.
 
Ford's stellar display of pitching dominance gave the Pioneers the edge they needed to score seven unanswered runs over the final six innings on Wednesday. Utica fell behind 7-1 after the first four frames, making solid contact but not landing any exceptional blows to the Wolves' defense. The team also made six errors in the game, with the bulk of those occurring during the opening stages of the matchup.
 
The bottom half of the Utica lineup came through in the midweek meeting, as the seventh, eighth, and ninth batters each produced two hits. Tanner Warren (Mohawk, NY/Central Valley Academy), Jacob Scalise (Utica, NY/Whitesboro), and Kody Czternastek (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) were those primary batters, with each player notching two base knocks. Scalise also grabbed two RBIs in the game, matching Justin Mazovec (Lake Grove, NY/Centereach) for the team lead. Mazovec achieved his two cash-ins in emphatic fashion, getting a massive hit down the third base line to record a two-RBI double in the bottom of the ninth.
 
The team as a whole gathered 11 total hits in the win, finally stringing together multiple successful plate appearances later in the game to come away with the victory. They also drew six walks in the game while striking out just three times total. Thanks to the Pioneers superior plate discipline, they were able to put the pressure on the Keuka defense with the Wolves eventually succumbing to a rapid Utica attack in the final stages of the contest.
 
It was that same pressure that allowed Josh Duval (Utica, NY/Proctor) to draw the game-winning walk, using his veteran disposition to end the game in the ninth without even having to put the ball in play. Thanks to Duval's keen eye, the Pioneers captured a key win and also took the season series against Keuka.
 
The team improved to 15-13-1 on the year, reaching the 20 point threshold and keeping their hold on the number four spot ahead of a big matchup with SUNY Poly to start next week. The Pioneers will welcome the Wildcats to campus next Monday for a standalone showdown. Poly currently sits at the five spot in the Empire 8 standings with 16 points.