UTICA, N.Y. - The SUNY Polytechnic Baseball Team (7-9) scored three runs in the top of the ninth Wednesday night, but it wasn't enough to defeat the Pioneers of Utica College (12-7), with the home team prevailing 9-7.

Both teams notched 13 hits in the contest. The Wildcats played slightly better defense, making just one error to Utica's three.

Gerald Milanes led the way for the 'Cats in defeat, finishing a 3-for-4 day with a double and a team-high 2 RBI's.

SUNY Poly took the non-conference opportunity to get a number of their pitchers some work, sending 6 different hurlers to the bump. Jeff Albright got the start and struck out three in his two innings of work while surrendering a single run. 

The Pioneers did the bulk of their damage in the bottom of the 6th inning, hanging 5 runs on the Wildcats to break a 2-2 tie. Jake Ryan drove in two runs with a single to right field, following a pair of RBI singles earlier in the inning.

The Wildcats made a game of it in the 9th, as a Dylan Gorski HBP to start the inning led to an RBI-double to right-center by Dominick Galimo. The Wildcats would push two more across in the inning before closer Ethan Bliss shut things down for the Pioneers, picking up his first save on the year.

The Wildcats, at long last, will play their home opener this Saturday as they host the Nittany Lions of Penn St.-Berks for a NEAC doubleheader. The first game is scheduled to start at 1:00 pm on Peter A. Spina Field.