The Utica College Pioneers scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and held on for a 3-1 win against the Hamilton College Continentals in the 27th playing of the Jackie Robinson Game at the UC Baseball Field on April 10.
Box Score
Utica (4-8 overall) holds a 15-12 advantage in the Jackie Robinson Game all-time series. Hamilton won last year's game 6-1 at Royce Field.
Ryan Watson was named the player of the game for the Pioneers. Watson started on the mound and allowed one run on seven hits in six-plus innings. He walked one and struck out seven and drove in Utica's third run with a two-out single.
Alex Pachella '15 was given the Continentals' player of the game award after his first start on the bump since March 18. Pachella surrendered just one run on five hits, fanned five and didn't walk a batter in five innings.
Mike Chiseri '16 had three hits, including a double, for Hamilton (7-7). Kenny Collins '17 added two hits and drove in the lone run. Joe Jensen '15 set a school record with the 40th stolen base of his career. Tommy Moriarty '14 threw the last three innings and allowed two runs on three hits. Moriarty (2-2) struck out three and also didn't walk anyone.
Thomas Dinnen ended up with two hits, including a double, for the Pioneers. Rob Heath singled twice and drove in a run. Ethan Bliss relieved Watson in the seventh and picked up the win after he tossed two scoreless innings. Vincent Burillo struck out two of the four batters he faced in the ninth and earned his first save.
Utica grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Dinnen hit a one-out single through the left side and went to second base on a single by Matthew DeMartino. After a strikeout, Heath singled to center field and Dinnen scored.
The Continentals tied the score in the top of the seventh. Andrew Haser '17 led off with a single through the left side but was forced out at second on a fielder's choice ground ball to third off the bat of Jensen, who stole second base. Collins' two-out single to center scored Jensen.
The Pioneers responded with the winning runs in the bottom of the inning. Heath led off with a single and went to third on Ben Hobaica's one-out single through the left side. Heath scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch. Watson drove in Hobaica with a two-out single to right field but was thrown out at second to end the inning.
Hamilton was able to draw a two-out walk in the eighth inning and a leadoff single in the ninth but didn't get a runner past first base in the final two innings.
The Continentals host Middlebury College for a NESCAC West Division doubleheader on Saturday, April 12. The first pitch of the opener is scheduled for noon.
