By – Anthony Cittadino – Utica Blue Sox Media Staff
Utica, NY – The inaugural home game for the Utica Blue Sox turned out to be a memorable one for both the Utica players, coaches, and fans. In front of more than 1,200 fans, the home team scored two runs in the first inning, three runs in the bottom third and one run in both the bottom sixth and seventh to beat the 2015 PGCBL Western Division Champions the Elmira Pioneers 7-0.
In the bottom of the first, Blue Sox’s short stop Joe Spitaleri hit a single to bring home Blue Sox’s second baseman Jared Baldinelli and designated hitter Taylor Olmstead. Utica had a 2-0 lead heading out of the first.
Utica leftfielder Mike Warren scored, in the bottom of the third, when Taylor Olmstead reached first off of an error by the Elmira defense (Utica 1-0). Blue Sox’s second baseman Jared Baldinelli and Olmstead also scored to extend Utica’s lead 5-0.
In the bottom sixth, Utica’s centerfielder Dylan Hutcheson scored off of a walk from Blue Sox’s leftfielder Mike Warren (Utica 6-0). The seventh and final run for the home team came in the bottom of the seventh when Spitaleri hit a single.
Utica’s starting pitcher, Brian Kavanagh, had a great day on the mound as he recorded four strikeouts and 0 runs. Kavanagh received the win.
Michael Hope, another pitcher for the Blue Sox, also had a good day recording two strikeouts and 0 hits in two innings.
Utica is now 2-0 and will head on the road this Saturday to take on the Oneonta Outlaws. They will then return home next Sunday to take on the Adirondack Trailblazers at 6:35 p.m.
