UTICA, N.Y. (April 23, 2017)  – Senior Zeph Walters collected two hits and sophomore Donny Gherardi hit his first collegiate home run, but the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team was swept by Utica College (9-3, 7-6) Sunday.

Freshman A.J. Falconite totaled four hits and drove in a run for the Ducks, who fell to 16-18-1 on the season and 8-7 in Empire 8 Conference play. 

Tim Quinlan had five hits and drove in four for the Pioneers, who improved to 15-12 on the year and 7-5 in league play. Utica scored four times in the bottom of the ninth in game two to complete the doubleheader sweep.

With three conference remaining on its schedule, Stevens is tied with Elmira at 8-7 for the fourth playoff spot. Utica is in fifth place in the conference at 7-5, with six games remaining.

Utica 9 Stevens 3
In the day's opener, Utica jumped out to a 5-2 lead after three innings, en route to a 9-3 victory.

Stevens opened scoring in the second. Patrick Rood worked a leadoff walk off Griffin Baur (4-2) and quickly stole second. The second baseman advanced to third on Donny Gherardi's flyout. A.J. Falconite pushed the first run across with a RBI groundout. Baur hit Carlos Leon and walked Harrison Kaye but induced a comebacker from Michael Mule' to end the threat.

Utica responded with two runs in the second off Quinn DiPasquale (2-3). Adam Nell connected for a one-out single to right. Jake Ryan singled to left. Mike Fancher walked to load the bases. Christian Tiffin promptly cleared the bases with a two-run single up the middle to give Utica the lead.

Stevens tied the game in third on Walters' RBI single, but Utica regained the lead in the bottom of the inning. Tom Carrigan reached on an error. Tim Quinlan doubled to right to snap the 2-all tie and advanced to third on a passed ball. After DiPasquale struck out Ben Julian, Nell hit the second RBI double of the inning. Jake Ryan continued the inning, reaching on Patrick Rood's second misplay of the inning. Nell scored on the play to push the Utica lead to 5-2.

After the early runs, Baur settled down and kept the Stevens offense, who scored 15 runs Saturday, in check. The right-hander allowed two earned runs on seven hits in pitching a complete game.

Utica added three unearned runs in the fifth off Michael Frissora. Fancher was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Tiffin singled and the duo advanced two bases on a failed pickoff attempt by Frissora. Ryan Palmer reached on an error by Shaye Bartnick to keep the inning moving. After Frissora retired the next two batters, Quinlan singled to plate Utica's final run.

Michael Mule' added a seventh-inning single for the final margin. 
 
Utica 7 Stevens 6
In game two, Utica struck for four runs in the ninth off closer Charlie Ruegger to stun Stevens, 7-6.

With Stevens leading 6-3, Ruegger (1-1) walked Ryan Palmer to lead off the inning and moved to second on a passed ball. J.T. Ross walked. Tom Carrigan singled home Palmer. Tim Quinlan to drive in the second run of the inning. Adam Nell singled up the middle to tie the game and Jake Ryan singled to center to score pinch-runner Derrin Lilley to give Utica the dramatic victory.

Stevens had jumped in front in the sixth. Donny Gherardi led off with a single and moved to third on A.J. Falconite's double. Carlos Leon and Matthew Pasko connected for back-to-back RBI singles off Haydn Demers-St. Hilaire that put Stevens in front 3-2. After a pitching change, Michael Mule' grounded out to score Leon. Kaye would score on an error by Nell to give the Ducks a 5-2 edge.

Left-hander Andrew Hamel pitched four effective innings, allowing two runs on five hits with five strikeouts. Gherardi's first career home run increased the Stevens lead to 6-3 heading into the final inning. 

Jake Cavanagh (2-0) allowed one run on two hits over four innings of work to earn the win.

Up Next: Stevens will host Montclair State University in its final home, non-conference game of the season Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 3 pm.

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