Utica, NY – The SUNY Canton baseball team erupted for nine runs in their final at-bats to complete a miraculous comeback in Game 2 defeating host Utica College 11-7 on Thursday. The Roos (15-16) dropped the first contest of a doubleheader, 17-3, but finished the day off in thrilling fashion.

Game One

The host Pioneers got out to a quick start posting 11 runs in the first three innings en route to the lopsided victory. SUNY Canton would get three backin the top of the fifth led by a 2 RBI single through the left side from Brandon Welch (Constable, NY) to plate Kevin Hill (Deerfield Beach, FL) and Kyle Sacks (Clifton Park, NY). Austin Hernandez (Loxahatchee, NY) added an RBI single scoring Kennan Shannon (Ballston Spa, NY), but a strike out and fly out ended the inning for the Roos.

Utica College added another six runs in the sixth frame to cruise to the win. Adam Pexton and Alec Choleva led the offense with 3 RBIs each, while Pexton had a four hit ball game scoring three runs. Hill led the Roos with two hits, while Welch and Hernandez drove in all three of the SUNY Canton runs.

Khalil Bratton (Queens, NY) got the start giving up six earned in one and one-third innings. Dom Deliberti (Staten Island, NY) and Robbie Osterer (Ottawa, ON) combined to throw four and two-thirds in relief giving up nine earned on 11 hits. All three pitchers combined to strike out six batters.

Joshua Webb threw a complete game for the Pioneers giving up three earned runs on seven hits. He struck out 11 batters and yielded one walk.

Game Two

SUNY Canton got off to a strong start in game two scoring one run each in the second and third innings. Jeremy Baez (Bronx, NY) singled to right in the second to score Jesse Barton (Belle Glade, FL) and an inning later Sacks used a base hit to bring Hill across.

Utica regained a 7-2 lead with seven runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Five of the seven runs scored were of the unearned variety. Trailing 7-2 heading into their final at-bats of the game in the seventh the Roos erupted for nine runs.

Braden Giffin (Lake Worth, FL) got things started singling home Hernandez. A pitch hit Shannon and Nick Belile (Norwood, NY) came through with a base hit to score Chris Jones (Deerfield Beach, FL). Moments later Barton produced a double down the right field line to plate both Shannon and Giffin. Baez continued the strong no out start to the inning with a 2 RBI single.

Phil Tsiaras (Toronto, ON) drew a walk and Greg Dobies (Schenectady, NY) reached on a throwing error by the third baseman. Hernandez drew a freepass and Jones singled to left scoring Tsiaras. After a pair of outs Hernandez closed the nine run inning for the Roos crossingthe plate for the second time of the frame on a wild pitch.

Alex LaFountain (Keesville, NY) picked up his first win of the season throwing one inning in relief giving up two runs on four hits, while striking out two. Jordan Hunneyman (Redwood, NY) earned the no decision on the mound and John Mancini (Scotia, NY) struck out two of the three batters he faced in the scoreless bottom half of the seventh. Alec Shova suffered his fourth loss of the season for the Pioneers.

The Roos are back in action on Saturday when they host Alfred State College for a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. Game 1 will be a GPA Game, where the player with the highest GPA at each position will get the start