UTICA, NY – The Utica Baseball team hosted SUNY Canton on Wednesday, March 25th, splitting a high-scoring doubleheader over at a recently-renovated Murnane Field. The Pioneers took game one by a score of 6-3 before falling in a back-and-forth battle during game two, 10-9.
Game One
The Pioneers used timely hitting and strong bullpen work to secure a 6-3 victory in the opener, coming from behind to snag a big win after trailing 3-2 going into the fifth inning.
After a quiet first inning, the Pioneers struck first in the second. Following a walk and a stolen base by
Ryan Smith (Wappingers Falls, NY/Beacon High School),
Lance Berger (Lindenhurst, NY/Saint Anthony's) delivered an RBI double to give Utica a 1-0 lead, one of Berger's team-high two base hits. SUNY Canton responded in the third inning with a three-run frame, highlighted by a two-run home run, although, thanks to a stellar bullpen performance, that would become the only frame in which Canton scored during the opening contest.
Trailing 3-1, Utica chipped away in the fourth inning. Berger led off with a triple and later scored on a sacrifice fly by
Jacob Scalise (Utica, NY/Whitesboro) to cut the deficit to one. The Pioneers then took control in the fifth inning, as
Luca Logan (Bayonne, NJ/St. Peters Prep) launched a two-run home run to give Utica a 4-3 advantage.
The offense continued to produce in the sixth inning.
Kody Czternastek (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) tripled and came around to score on an RBI single by
Wyatt Beadle (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls), and a sacrifice fly from Smith added an insurance run to extend the lead to 6-3, where it would stay.
On the mound,
Tyler Brown (Sayville, NY/Sayville High School) got the start, going three innings while allowing three runs (two earned) and striking out two. Following Brown's exit, the duo of
Brendan Berry (Cranford, NJ/Cranford) and
Justin Notargiacomo (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) tore through the Canton lineup, only allowing two total hits and shutting out the visitors over the final four innings of play. Berry earned the win in relief, tossing three strong innings and allowing just one hit while keeping Canton off the board.
Justin Notargiacomo (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) would then close the door in the seventh, securing his first save of the season, along with the 6-3 victory.
Game Two
The nightcap turned into a back-and-forth offensive battle, with SUNY Canton ultimately defeating the hosting Pioneers 10-9 in dramatic fashion. The orange and blue would start off extremely hot, scoring all nine of their runs in the first four innings. However, a late rally by the Kangaroos would give the visitors a big victory right at the end of the seven scheduled innings.
Canton jumped out early with two runs in the first inning on a pair of home runs, and added another in the second to take a 3-2 lead. The orange and blue would match them, though, scoring twice in the first and once in the second to level the tilt at 3-3. The visitors extended their lead in the third inning, scoring three runs to make it 6-3.
The Pioneers then continued the combined fireworks, responding in the bottom half of the inning, as
Luca Logan (Bayonne, NJ/St. Peters Prep) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and
Lance Berger (Lindenhurst, NY/Saint Anthony's) followed with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 6-5.
The Pioneers then surged ahead in the fourth inning. After a pair of hit-by-pitches to start the frame,
Wyatt Beadle (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) delivered a sacrifice fly that, combined with a Canton throwing error, plated two runs. Later in the inning, Smith came through with an RBI double, and Berger added another run-scoring groundout to give Utica a 9-6 lead.
Utica's pitching staff settled in through the middle innings, keeping Canton off the scoreboard until the seventh. In the final frame, Canton rallied for four runs, capitalizing on timely hits and a key Utica error to reclaim a 10-9 lead.
The Pioneers threatened in the bottom of the seventh, putting two runners on base, but were unable to bring the tying run across as Canton held on for the win.
Offensively, Logan led the way with two hits and multiple RBIs, while Smith and Berger each contributed key extra-base hits during Utica's mid-game surge.
The split saw the Pioneers move to 8-6 on the year. The team will make its home-field debut tomorrow afternoon, starting a key doubleheader against a red-hot Elmira squad beginning at 12:00 PM.
