UTICA, N.Y. (April 22, 2017)  – Freshman Shaye Bartnick delivered a seventh-inning RBI sacrifice fly sending the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team to a 15-13 come-from-behind win over Utica College Saturday. 

Senior Michael Mule' went 4-for-5 and drove in four runs and junior Alex Detweiler homered for the Ducks, who climbed back to .500 (16-16-1) with their second straight victory. Stevens moved to 8-5 in Empire 8 play. The 15-run, 20-hit performance by the Stevens offense marked season bests in both categories.

Senior Zeph Walters (4-2) went 2-for-5 with an RBI at the plate and struck out a career-high 14 batters over 6 1-3 innings to earn the victory. His previous career best was a 10-strikeout performance against Lehman on May 5, 2014.

Catcher Ben Julian went 2-for-3 with a home run for Utica, who fell to 13-12 overall and 5-5 in league play. Utica connected for three home runs in a five-run first inning.

Freshman A.J. Falconite started the go-ahead rally with a single up the middle off Dom Caccioppli (2-1). Sophomore Carlos Leon walked and senior Harrison Kaye singled to load the bases. Mule' singled to drive in the catcher and keep the bases loaded. After Detweiler struck out, Bartnick lifted a fly ball to left to score Leon and put the Ducks in front for good.

The teams combined for nine runs on nine hits in a wild first inning. Mule' led the game off with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. After Detweiler grounded out to third, Bartnick and Walters connected for back-to-back singles off Utica starter Alex Rocci. Patrick Rood singled to load the bases. Rocci would strike out Donny Gherardi for the second out of the inning, but walked Falconite to force in a run. Rocci appeared to be out of the inning, but right fielder J.T. Ross misplayed Leon's ball for a two-run error. Leon would steal second but Rocci retired Kaye to end the inning.

Walters struck out Ryan Palmer in the Utica half of the first. Ryan Larsen came on in relief and was greeted by Ross with a double down the left field line. After retiring Tom Carrigan for the second out of the inning, Tim Quinlan and Julian connected for back-to-back homers to pull the Pioneers within one. Jake Ryan singled and Adam Nell followed with the third homer of the inning to give Utica a 5-4 lead.

Walters returned to the mound in the second inning and was able to keep Utica off the board. The right-hander ran into trouble in the third. Julian led off with a double and scored on Ryan's RBI single. Ryan moved to third on a wild pitch and then scored when Walters struck out Jacob Gaboriault and A.J. Falconite was unable to hold on to the pitch, allowing the Utica designated hitter to reach first. Walters struck out the final two batters of the inning to end the threat.

Michael Mule began the Stevens comeback with an RBI double to center in the third. The Ducks went back in front in the sixth. Leon walked and Kaye reached via a bun single. After a Rocci wild pitch, Mule' drove in the first run of the frame with a sacrifice fly to center. Detweiler followed, driving a Rocci pitch into the stands for his fourth home run of the season.

Utica went back in front in the bottom of the sixth. Christian Tiffin singled to center to start the rally. Palmer reached on a bunt single and both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch. Ross plated the first run of the inning with a single up the middle and Carrigan lofted a sacrifice fly to right to put Utica on top.

Sophomore Charlie Ruegger allowed a pair of runs in the ninth, but earned his seventh save of the year to move into a second-place tie on the single-season list.
 
Up Next: The Ducks and the Pioneers will play the final two games of their series in a Sunday afternoon doubleheader. First pitch for game one is at 11:00 am.

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