UTICA, NY - The Pioneer baseball team took on the Keuka College Wolves at Murnane Field today at 2:00 PM and fell by a final score of 5-3. The blue and orange could not get the bats going much, ultimately scratching across four hits in what turned out to be a great pitching performance out of Keuka.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Pioneers were down 5-1 and had the bases loaded with one out, and managed to score two late runs, but the final rally was not enough to overcome the four-run deficit as they were shut out in the ninth.

Lance Berger (Lindenhurst, NY/Saint Anthony's) led the way offensively for the Pioneers, as the senior went 1-3 with an RBI triple in the fourth inning and a sac fly. Ryan Smith (Wappingers Falls, NY/Beacon High School), Mike Rockwell (Liverpool, NY/Cicero), and Ty Montrose (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) each got the remaining three Utica hits in the contest.

On the mound, Brady Leichtman (Bay Shore, NY/St. John the Baptist Diocesan) got the start, taking the loss after giving up an early home run, but otherwise settling in and throwing three solid innings. Garrett Greaney (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) followed him up and threw three innings with three strikeouts, and Justin Notargiacomo (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) finished out the game's final three innings, striking out two and not allowing any runs.

The Pioneers' record moves to 13-8, and they will be right back in action this weekend as they welcome the St. John Fisher Cardinals for a weekend series at the Pioneer Baseball Field on the campus of Utica University. There will be two games on Saturday, April 18th, with game times scheduled for 12:00 PM & 3:00 PM, and the teams will come back the following day, Sunday, April 19th, to play the rubber match of the series at 1:00 PM.