Unicorns Take Down Hoppers, 8-1
UTICA, Mich. – The Utica Unicorns (23-17) used a balanced offensive attack and a dominant night on the mound to roll past the Eastside Diamond Hoppers (12-28), 8-1, on Thursday night at UWM Field. Utica finished with 10 hits and scored in five different innings, while holding Eastside to just two hits.
The Unicorns struck first in the bottom of the second inning when Braxton Meguiar delivered a two-run double, giving Utica an early advantage. After two scoreless frames, the Unicorns added two more in the fifth behind back-to-back RBI doubles from Ryan Enos and Rafael Jackson III, extending the lead to 3-0. Utica continued to pull away with two runs in the sixth, one in the seventh and two more in the eighth.
Meguiar helped lead the offense, going 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored. Enos reached base four times, finishing 2-for-3 with a double, RBI, run and two walks, while Jackson III doubled, drove in a run, scored once and stole two bases. Cecil Lofton also collected two hits, including an RBI double, and Logan Sanders added a pair of hits as Utica received contributions throughout the lineup.
On the mound, Nick Cosentino earned the win with a strong 6.1 innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run while striking out three. Eastside’s only run came in the seventh when Josh Burke doubled home Kevon Jackson, cutting into the Utica lead. That would be all the Diamond Hoppers could muster.
The Unicorns’ bullpen slammed the door from there. Griffin Graham tossed 1.2 hitless innings with four strikeouts, before Garrett Harker worked a perfect ninth and struck out two to finish the victory. Utica pitching combined to allow just one run on two hits while striking out nine.
With the 8-1 victory, the Unicorns capped off a convincing night at UWM Field behind timely hitting and outstanding pitching.