CLINTON, N.Y. – Hamilton College's Michael Tallarida '26 launched a three-run homer and the Continentals cruised to a 14-5 win against the Utica University Pioneers in the 34th playing of the Jackie Robinson Classic at Hamilton's Loop Road Athletic Complex on Tuesday, April 30.

The game was originally scheduled for April 16 at Utica and moved to April 30 at DeLutis Field in Rome. A decision was made Tuesday afternoon to hold the game at Hamilton. Since the Pioneers were the original hosts, the Continentals batted first in each inning.
 
Season Update

• Hamilton (13-13 overall) has won five in a row against the Pioneers and holds an 18-16 edge in the Jackie Robinson Classic series with their local rivals.  
• Utica, which is 8-7 in the Empire 8 Conference, moved to 14-22 overall. 

How It Happened

• Hamilton opened the scoring with four runs in its first at-bat on a fielder's choice and a three-run blast over left field by Tallarida. 
• The Continentals added to their lead with two runs in the third. Taylor Kaufman '26 started the inning with a double to right center, Jackson Sattinger '24 worked the count for a walk and both runners were in scoring position after a double steal. Shane Dux '24 scored both on a deep sacrifice fly to the center field warning track. 
• Utica put two runs on the board in the bottom half on two hits and two walks. 
• The Pioneers sliced its deficit in half at 8-4 with another pair of runs in the fourth on four singles. 
• Hamilton countered with two runs of its own in the fifth. Greg Kopp '25 led off with a double to the left center gap, Kaufman was hit by pitch, Sattinger loaded the bases on a walk, and Kopp crossed home plate on a wild pitch. Tallarida brought in Sattinger on a sacrifice fly to left center. 
• The Continentals had their best inning in the top of the seventh with six runs on four hits and two errors. Jack Griffin '24 ripped a one-out single to left and Tallarida barreled a single up the middle. Jackson Johns '24 reached on a fielder's choice and then scored on an error. With two outs, Kopp drove in two runs on a single to right field. Charlie O'Brien, who took first base on a walk, eventually scored on a throwdown attempt to second that resulted in an error. Sattinger knocked in Hamilton's final two runs on a double to deep left field. 
• The Pioneers' Derek Holmes hit a solo home run in the bottom half for the final margin. 
• The contest was suspended following the conclusion of the seventh inning due to darkness.

Notes

• Hamilton has outscored the Pioneers 60-27 in its last five meetings. 
• The game, which is sponsored by the Mohawk Valley Frontiersman, began in 1987 on the 40th anniversary of Robinson breaking major league baseball's color line.  
• Sattinger was selected the Continentals' most valuable player as he finished 1-for-2 with two runs batted in, two runs scored, a team-high three walks and one stolen base. 
• Tallarida batted in a team-best four runs on two hits, including his seventh homer of the season. 
• Kopp drove in two runs and smacked his 14th career double. 
• Dux plated two runs and walked twice. 
• Griffin finished with one hit, two runs scored, one run batted in and a stolen base. 
• Carter Chambers '24, Johns, Alfonso Rada '27 and Charlie O'Brien '24 all scored one run each. 
• Peter Jones '25 earned the start and the win as he allowed one hit in one scoreless inning. 
• Jack Eshleman '25 struck out two of the three batters he faced.
• Ethan Righter '27 fanned a season-best four batters in 1.2 innings pitched. 
• Hamilton's pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts.
• Joe Crossley, who finished 2-for-3 and a run batted in, was named Utica's most valuable player of the game. 
• Josh Duval drove in a team-best two runs on one hit. 
• John Longeretta drove in one run on a single. 
• Holmes launched a solo shot for the Pioneers. 
• Lance Berger, Jack Scanlon, Micah Fiorello and Matthew Kanyuk contributed one hit each. 

 
Next Game 
Hamilton travels to East Division second seed Tufts University for a NESCAC championship quarterfinal series that starts Saturday, May 4. The teams will play two games starting at noon and a third game, if necessary, on Sunday, May 5 at 11 a.m.