The Keuka College Baseball team lost at Utica University 8-7 in an Empire 8 game on Wednesday afternoon.
Keuka College (11-17, 5-12 Empire 8) was led by Derek Novicki (North Haven, Conn. / North Haven) with three hits. Tyler Lewandowski (Milltown, N.J. / Spotswood) added a two-hit game with his second home run of the season. Carlos Fantauzzi (Canandaigua, N.Y. / Canandaigua Academy) scored two runs and drove in two for the Wolves.
The Wolves took the lead in the top of the first as a run came in on a fielder’s choice. Derek Novicki followed with an RBI single to lead 2-0 after one.
Utica got one back in the bottom of the second, but the Wolves answered the run in the bottom of the third. Novicki led off with a single. John Valinoti (Babylon, N.Y. / Babylon) walked, and Tyler Lewandowski reached on an error to load the bases. Utica limited the damage as they traded a run for a double play. Two more walks reloaded the bases, but the Pioneers got a popout to end the threat with Keuka leading 3-1.
The Wolves added to their lead an inning later. An error started the inning and Fantauzzi would score Kyle Wood (Newark, N.Y. / Newark) on a single. John Valinoti added an RBI single for the Wolves. Tyler Lewandowski then hit a two-run home run to extend Keuka’s advantage to 7-1.
The Pioneers scored two in the bottom of the fourth to slow the Keuka momentum, but the Keuka bats would go cold. The Green and Gold managed just one hit in the final five innings of the game.
Utica got one run back in the seventh, but the Wolves carried a 7-4 lead into the final inning. The Pioneers scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth to defeat the Wolves 8-7.
Up Next for Keuka College: The Wolves will return to Utica, N.Y. this weekend, this time to face SUNY Poly in an Empire 8 Conference series. The two schools have played 23 times in the regular season as conference opponents in the North Eastern Athletic Conference, but it will be their first time meeting as members of the Empire 8.
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