The Oswego State baseball team swept a doubleheader against visiting Utica College 3-1 in Game 1 and 2-1 in Game 2 on a walk off sacrifice fly in the eighth inning on Wednesday afternoon at Laker Field.
In the first game of the doubleheader the Lakers found just enough offense and capitalized on two Utica errors. The Lakers managed their first two runs in the bottom half of the second inning. Scott Buniak got the Lakers started with a leadoff single. Buniak would advance to second on a Matt Miller sacrifice bunt, and moved up to third on a pass ball. Kris Prikazsky walked and Tyler Baker reached on a Utica error, as Buniak scored the Lakers first run. Prikazsky would come around to score on a wild pitch.
The Lakers offense managed just five hits.
"You have to find a way to win baseball games no matter what," Oswego State head coach Frank Paino said. "We played get ‘em ball. Get ‘em on, get ‘em over, and get ‘em in."
Ed Charles paced the Lakers offense with a pair of singles, a run scored and a stolen base. Buniak, Baker, and Matt Miller each added a hit.
The Lakers pitching staff kept the Lakers in the game, working out of tough spots several times. In the top half of the second inning, starter Marc Peterson found himself with the bases loaded and only one out. He responded by striking out Utica’s Ted Krueger and forcing Anthony Disalvo to ground out.
In the top half of the third, Lakers’ reliever Jon Stevens worked into a bases loaded jam with only one out. Stevens would get Alec Choleva swinging and force Chris Podlucky to ground out to second base. In the top of the sixth inning, Oswego State’s Chris Nyman got out of a second and third jam with only one out by striking out Te Krueger looking and getting Anthony Disalvo to ground out.
Nyman picked up the win for the Lakers in three innings of relief. The Lakers pitchers combined to allow only one earned run on six hits, one walk and hit three batters. The three Lakers pitchers also combined for 12 strikeouts and stranded nine Pioneers on base.
In the backend of the doubleheader, the Lakers would once again rely on pitching. Starting pitcher Brady Farkas pitched five solid innings. Farkas allowed one unearned run on four hits, a strikeout and no walks. Dan Erne would pick up the win in relief. Erne pitched three shutout innings, allowing one hit, striking out one and walking none.
In a 1-1 ballgame Erne worked out of a first and third jam in the seventh inning. Elvis Gonzalez grounded into a fielder’s choice when Oswego State shortstop Tyler Baker cut down Anthony Disalvo trying to score. Erne got Terrence Reyes to pop out to the second baseman to end the inning.
The Lakers led off the bottom of the eighth inning with their fifth walk of the day and advance to second on a passed ball. Pat Brown drew a walk and Dan Maloney followed with a single up the middle. Stark was thrown out at the plate and Brown advanced to third on the throw. Buniak delivered with a walk-off sacrifice fly to right.
The Lakers offense was led by Ed Charles, who had a pair of singles and a walk. Tom Curry, Mike Tarnowski and Maloney each added a hit.
The Lakers improved to 10-3 on the year and will open SUNYAC play this weekend when they host SUNY Oneonta on Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3. Saturday’s contest is a doubleheader.
Utica dropped to 0-9 with the pair of losses to Oswego State.
