FINAL: Utica 2, Fort Schuyler 1

Hey legion fans. I'm here at the Utica vs. Fort Schuyler game at Murnane Field's Donovan Stadium. Utica is coming off a tough 1-0 loss to Love Post last night that knocked it out of first place in the Gold Division. With a win tonight, Utica will move back into a first-place tie with Sherrill Post. Fort Schuyler is looking for its third win of the season.

I'll be providing live updates throughout the game. Feel free to leave any thoughts, questions or comments in the "comment" section at the bottom. I'll be here to provide feedback.

Startling lineups:
Utica (6-3)
1. Devin Warmack, CF
2. Mike Scotellaro, 1B
3. Mark VanDreason, 2B
4. Ryan Donovan, 3B
5. Joe Mazzara, RF
6. Joe Perrotta, P
7. Mike King, LF
8. Justin Hall, SS
9. Nick Mishlanie, C
Pitcher: Joe Perrotta, RHP (2-2, 6.61 ERA)

Fort Schuyler (2-7)
1. Sean Redmond, P
2. Anthony Rose, CF
3. Ed Schulze, 3B
4. Jordan Zongrone, 1B
5. Jared Marshall, RF
6. Dominick Galimo, C
7. Mike McCormick, LF
8. Nick Raymer, 2B
9. Dan Priore, SS
Pitcher: Sean Redmond (1-3, 4.47 ERA)

Top 1st: Sean Redmond hit a single to center to lead off the game. Anthony Rose gave himself up, bunting Redmond over to second. Ed Shulze struck out swinging for the second out. Jordan Zongrone grounded out to short for the third out.

Bottom 1st: Devin Warmack drew a six-pitch walk to led off and then stole second two pitches later. Mike Scotellaro struck out swinging on an 0-2 pitch for the first out. Mark VanDreason and Ryan Donovan popped out to the shortstop for the second and third outs of the inning.

Utica 0, Fort 0

Top 2nd: Jared Marshall led off with a walk. Dominick Galimo tried to bunt Marshall over to second, but it went right back to the pitcher who threw Marshall out at second for a fielder's chioce and the first out. Mike McCormick grounded into a 4-6 fielder's choice for the second out. (runner on first, two outs). Two pitches later, McCormick was caught stealing for the third out.

Bottom 2nd: Joe Mazzara drove a 1-2 pitch the opposite way for a single into right field to lead off. Joe Perrotta flew out to the right fielder on the first pitch he saw for the first out. Mazzara stole second on the first pitch to Mike King. King reached on an error by the shortstop on the next pitch (runners on first and second, one out). Justin Hall popped up a bunt attempt right in front of home plate that was caught by the catcher for the second out. Nick Mishlanie grounded out to second to end the inning, stranding runners on first and second.

Utica 0, Fort 0

Top 3rd: Perrotta struck out Nick Raymer looking for the first out. Dan Priore walked. Sean Redmond hit a hard grounder toward Hall at short that he couldn't handle, allowing Raymer to move to second and Redmond to reach first (runners on first and second, one out). Rose struck out looking for the second out. Priore tried to steal second, but was gunned down by Mishlaine for the third out (that's the second runner Mishlanie has thrown out trying to steal).

Bottom 3rd: Warmack grounded out to the second baseman for the first out. Scotellaro lined out to Priore at short for the second out. VanDreason hit a routine grounder to short, but Priore's throw pulled Zongrone off the bag at first, allowing VanDreason to reach on an error. VanDreason stole second on the first pitch to Donovan. Three pitches later, Donovan made Fort pay for the error, hitting an RBI single to right to put Utica ahead. Utica 1, Fort 0. Mazzara singled to left two pitches later. Donovan advanced to third and Mazzara went to second as the ball rolled through the legs of the left fielder. Perrotta lined out to Marshall in right to end the inning, stranding two runners in scoring position.

Utica 1, Fort 0

Top 4th: Shulze drove a ball to deep center that looked like it might be extra bases, but Warmack made a great running grab to record the first out. Zongrone grounded a single up the middle. Marshall grounded into a 6-4 fielder's choice for the second out (runner on first, two outs). Galimo flew out to Mazzara in right for the third out.

Bottom 4th: King grounded out to Raymer at second for the first out. Hall struck out swinging for the second out. Mishlanie hit a two-out single up the middle on a 1-2 pitch. Mishlanie stole second and Galimo's throw was wild and skidded into center field, allowing Mishlanie to advance to third. Warmack popped out to left on a 3-2 count to end the the inning, stranding Mishlanie at third.

Utica 1, Fort 0

Top 5th: McCormick led off with a single up the middle. He advanced to second on a passed ball two pitches later. Raymer dropped a beautiful bunt down the third base line. McCormick advanced to third and Raymer reached first safely as Mishlaine decided to try to get the runner at third and his throw wasn't in time (runners on first and third, no outs). Priore drove a fly ball to right that Mazzara made a running catch on for the first out, but it was deep enough to allow McCormick to tag from third and tie the game. Fort 1, Utica 1. Raymer went to second on the next pitch on a high, wild fastball from Perrotta. Redmond popped out to Scotellaro in foul territory for the second out. Rose grounded out to first for the third out.

Bottom 5th: Scotellaro fought off a 1-2 pitch from Redmond, grounding it toward the hole on the left side and beating it out for an infield single. He stole second two pitches later. VanDreason dropped down a bunt in hopes to move Scotellaro to third, but he got more then he wished for when Zongrone couldn't handle Redmond's throw to first, allowing Scotellaro to score and VanDreason to get to second. Utica 2, Fort 1. Donovan flew out to right for the first out. Mazzara flew out to right on the next pitch and Marshall threw to second for a double play to end the inning as VanDreason was almost to third, unaware that there was only one out.

Utica 2, Fort 1

Top 6th: Schulze grounded out to VanDreason at second on the first pitch of the inning. Zongrone struck out swinging on a 2-2 pitch for the second out. Marshall drew a seven-pitch, two-out walk to put a runner on first. Mike Rose came in to pinch-run for Marshall. Perrotta struck out Galimo for the third out on his 93rd pitch of the game.

Bottom 6th: Perrotta walked on a 3-1 pitch to lead off. King laid down a 4-3 sacrifice bunt to move Perrotta to second. Hall flew out to center for the second out (runner on second, two outs). Perrotta went to second on an 0-1 curveball in the dirt that scooted away from Galimo. Redmond struck out Mishlanie swinging two pitches later to end the inning and strand the runner at third.

Utica 2, Fort 1

*Quick Fact: Perrotta and Redmond, Proctor High School's top two hurlers in the spring, have each thrown 93 pitches through six innings.

Top 7th: McCormick drove a 3-1 pitch through the middle and into center field for a single. Raymer gave himself up, bunting McCormick over to second as Perrotta picked up the bunt and threw the runner out at first (runner on second, one out). Perrotta got Priore looking at an 0-2 fastball for the second out. Redmond popped out to center for the final out, stranding McCormick at second and ending the game.

FINAL: Utica 2, Fort Schuyler 1