Canton, NY – Junior Tom Brusca (Middletown, NY) struck out 11 batters to lift the SUNY Canton baseball team to an Empire 8 split against visiting Utica College on Saturday. The Roos (10-20, 4-10 E8) took the nightcap 9-4 after the Pioneers (7-18, 5-9 E8) took the opener 5-4.

Game 1 – Box Score

Utica opened the scoring with three runs in the second inning on an RBI double and a fielder's choice and throwing error. SUNY Canton responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third as they did all their damage with two outs.

Wilson Matos (Brooklyn, NY) got the inning started with a single up the middle and stole second. Jeremy Baez (Bronx, NY) drew a two out walk and Seth Douglas (Reedsburg, WI) followed with a single through the left side to score Matos. Nicolas Demarais (Plattsburgh, NY) showed patience drawing a free pass to load the bases. Travis Schindler (West Islip, NY) concluded the scoring walking in a run.

SUNY Canton tied the game at three in the fifth when Schindler plated Douglas on an RBI single to right center. The Roos took their first lead of the game in the sixth on another Douglas RBI base hit. He scored Matos who reached on a two out single and stole second.

Utica tied the game in the top of the seventh when a run scored on a wild pitch and the seven inning game headed to extras. The Pioneers scored the winning run in the eighth on an Adam Pexton RBI single.

The Roos produced a pair of singles in the bottom of the inning but Matos was caught stealing with no one out as the comeback bid fell short.

Travis Bigelow (Ottawa, ON) gave up just three earned runs, while striking out six batters in a complete game effort. Dom Caccioppoli earned his first win of the year on the mound giving up just three hits without a run in two and one-third innings of relief.

Game 2 – Box Score

Brusca pitched a gem in the nightcap scattering six hits and two earned runs over eight innings. The junior fanned 11 batters on the day.

The Roos got off to a quick start scoring seven runs over the first three innings including a five run second. Baez singled to third and Matos scored all the way from second on a throwing error in the first.

Matos singled home Brett Hoberman (Wellington, FL) to get the scoring started in the second. Baez followed with an RBI base hit to left to plate Edward Malinoski, Jr. (Evans Mills, NY). Douglas continued his hot hitting with a three run bomb to bring home both Matos and Baez. Christian Nazario-Cruz (Naguabo, Puerto Rico) concluded the hot hitting stretch with an RBI single to center in the third for Malinoski's second run of the game.

The Pioneers finally got on the board with two runs in the seventh and added a pair in the ninth, but the Roos also brought a pair across in the eight. Baez singled home Kirkland Festa (Wellington, FL), who led off with a single up the middle. Douglas drove in his fourth run of the game and sixth of the day when he scored Matos on a sacrifice fly to center.

These two teams will have a rematch with a single nine-inning game on Sunday at 12 p.m.