The Keuka College Baseball team got to play their first games of the season on Kuhl Field on Tuesday and split an Empire 8 Conference doubleheader against Utica University.
Keuka College 4 vs. Utica University 2 – Game 1
The Pioneers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as a leadoff walk worked around the bases to score and make it 1-0. Keuka College would tie the game in the bottom of the inning. Kyle Wood (Newark, N.Y. / Newark) was hit by the pitch and worked around to third. He came in on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Fantauzzi (Canandaigua, N.Y. / Canandaigua Academy) to tie the game at 1-1.
Utica threatened in the second, but Keegan Ferris (Elbridge, N.Y. / Jordan Elbridge) got a ground ball to Alex Evans (Liverpool, N.Y. / Liverpool) at short. The sophomore stepped on second and threw across to first for the inning-ending double play.
The Wolves took the lead in the bottom of the second. John Valinoti (Babylon, N.Y. / Babylon) led off with a walk and Tyler Lewandowski (Milltown, N.J. / Spotswood) was hit by the pitch to put two on. A single by Ian Ruhmel (Horseheads, N.Y. / Horseheads) loaded the bases. Utica’s pitcher attempted to pick Valinoti off at third base. The throw got away, allowing Valinoti to score as well as Lewandowski coming from second to give the Wolves a 3-1 advantage.
Utica pulled one back in the fifth, but the Wolves had the answer in the bottom of the inning. Carlos Fantauzzi doubled with two outs and scored on a single by Derek Novicki (North Haven, Conn. / North Haven) for the 4-2 lead.
Utica would put the tying run on base in the seventh, but the Wolves got a groundball to end the game for the 4-2 victory.
Utica University 16 at Keuka College 3 (7 inn.) – Game 2
The Pioneers again took the lead in the top of the first inning with one run. Keuka tied the game in the third. Kyle Wood led off with a walk and scored from first on a double by Carlos Fantauzzi to make it 1-1.
Two big innings were the difference in game two. Utica University scored seven in the fourth and then again in the fifth to take a 15-1 lead over the Wolves.
Keuka College got one run back in the fifth and then the teams traded runs in the sixth, but Utica had the game in hand as they defeated the Wolves 16-3.
C Notes:
- The win in game one snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Wolves against the Pioneers. Overall, Utica leads the all-time series 18-8-1
- Carlos Fantauzzi and Ian Ruhmel each had a pair of hits in game one
- Fantauzzi also swiped his 12th base of the year, tying his total from last season. 24 career stolen bases moves him into third on the Keuka College career list
- Keegan Ferris picked up his fourth win of the season, pitching into the seventh in game one. Ferris struck out five in the win
- Jesse Capitano (Depew, N.Y. / Depew) came in in the seventh and closed the door for his first career save
- Carlos Fantauzzi stayed hot in game two with two doubles against the Pioneers
- Alex Evans added a two-hit game in the nightcap and also stole a pair of bases
Up Next for Keuka College: The Wolves and the Pioneers will complete their Empire 8 series on Wednesday as the two teams square off in a single game at Utica University.
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