HOBOKEN, N.J. (April 29, 2018)  – Senior Quinn DiPasquale spun a one-hit, complete-game shutout, freshman catcher Nathan Zuckerman drove in two, as the Stevens Institute of Technology Baseball team defeated Utica College 8-0 Sunday afternoon to win the Empire 8 Conference regular season title. 

All nine starters reached base at least once and junior shortstop Matthew Pasko and senior designated hitter Tommy Baronner each had two hits for the Ducks, who moved to 23-14 on the year and 14-3 in conference play. Stevens has won four straight to win its first-ever E8 regular season crown.

Tom Carrigan's fourth-inning double was Utica's lone hit of the day. The Pioneers have dropped six straight to fall to 12-16 on the year and 4-11 in the Empire 8. DiPasquale stranded Carrigan at second with a pair of strikeouts.

Stevens totaled 38 runs over the three-game series, but pitching was the story in the finale. 

DiPasquale (4-2) punched out 12 for his fourth double-digit strikeout performance of the season. The right-hander silenced the Pioneer offense, striking out multiple batters in an inning five times. Utica came into the game hitting .303, the third-best mark in the conference. The gem was Stevens' second one-hitter of the season and the first shutout game of DiPasquale's career. The Chelmsford, Massachusetts native has struck out a career-high 74 in nine starts the season. 

Stevens started quickly, touching Justin Shabman (1-1) for a run in the first, providing DiPasquale the only cushion he'd need. Baronner slapped a 1-1 pitch into center for a leadoff single. After missing two seasons due to injury, the Solana Beach, California product has been a steady force atop head coach Kristaps Aldins' lineup, reaching base safely in 35 of his 36 games this season, including 25 straight. The pesky leadoff hitter stole second and came around to score on sophomore Shaye Bartnick's RBI single. Senior Alex Detweiler doubled for his 100th career hit to place two runners in scoring position, but freshman Thomas Paulich grounder into a double play to end the threat.

Shabman kept Stevens off the board until running into trouble in the fourth. Sophomore Patrick Rood worked a leadoff walk and moved to third when shortstop Christian Tiffin misplayed Paulich's grounder. After a groundout, Pasko singled through the left side to drive in the first run of the frame. Zuckerman followed three pitches later, driving Shabman's offering up the middle to score Paulich. The aggressive Ducks executed a double steal. The team totaled six thefts on the day, including a pair of double steals. Baronner reached on an infield single to load the bases. Pasko scored from third on Utica's second miscue of the inning to give Stevens a four-run lead.

The Ducks tacked on four more in the eighth against three Utica relievers to break the game open. 

Up Next: Stevens travels to Pennsylvania for a non-conference game against the University of Scranton on Tuesday, May 1.

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