DAVENPORT, Fla. — The Keuka College Baseball team lost a pair of games to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Friday to close their spring trip in Florida.

Keuka College (1-11) lost a pair of one-run games to the Blugolds, falling 7-6 and 5-4.

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 7 vs. Keuka College 6 – Game One

Eau Claire built a lead in the early innings, holding a 3-0 advantage over the Wolves. Keuka tried to put together a two-out rally with singles by Shane Daley (Elma, N.Y. / Iroquois) and Matt Vaccaro (Fayetteville, N.Y. / Fayetteville-Manlius) but Keuka was unable to cash in.

The Blugolds added three in the top of the fourth but Keuka had an answer. Kyle Wood (Newark, N.Y. / Newark) led off with a double, and RJ Murphy (Syracuse, N.Y. / West Genesee) followed with a walk. With two outs, Brady Booher (Rochester, N.Y. / Eastridge) connected for a three-run home run to cut the deficit in half, 6-3.

The score would remain until the seventh. Wisconsin added an insurance run in the top of the inning that proved to be important. In the bottom of the inning, Keuka put together another two-out rally. An error and Vaccaro single put two on for Carlos Fantauzzi (Canandaigua, N.Y. / Canandaigua Academy). The junior sent the ball over the fence in left for Keuka's second three-run home run of the game, making it a one-run game at 7-6. However, the next batter would strike out as Keuka lost game one 7-6.

Lead Wolves: Shane Daley and Matt Vaccaro batted one and two in the lineup for the Wolves and did a good job setting the table. They were each on base three times in the game. Vacarro had three singles in the game while Daley had one single and was hit by the pitch twice.

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 5 vs. Keuka College 4 – Game Two

The Wolves quickly jumped ahead in game two. Vacarro singled and Fantauzzi and Wood followed with walks to load the bases. Vacarro scored on a passed ball and another walk reloaded the bases. Brady Booher worked a walk to force in a run. Mike Dutch (Manlius, N.Y. / Fayetteville-Manlius) then singled through the infield to give the Wolves a 3-0 lead.

The lead was held thanks to starting pitcher Greg Osterhout (Walden, N.Y. / Valley Central). The junior transfer pitched effectively in his first outing since 2022. Osterhout held the Blugolds to just one run over his four innings of work.

However, the Keuka College bats would be held down too. The Wolves would be held without a hit until the fifth inning. In the bottom of the frame, Eau Claire got one run back and continued to threaten, but Keegan Ferris (Elbridge, N.Y. / Jordan Elbridge) got a groundball double play to end the inning.

The Blugolds tied the game with a double and triple to start the bottom of the sixth inning and later added two more runs for a 5-3 lead.

Keuka attempted to rally as Owen Garvey (Meadville, Pa. / Meadville Area) led off with a single. Matt Vaccaro was up for the Wolves. He grounded to shortstop. Attempting to turn a double play, the shortstop threw the ball past the second baseman and ended up in foul territory. Pinch runner Ian Ruhmel (Horseheads, N.Y. / Horseheads) ended up going all the way around the bases to score. Vaccaro dove into third base, but the throw to get him also got past the third baseman. The senior got up and attempted to score. The left fielder for Eau Claire was backing up the play and threw home. Vaccaro attempted to dive to his left, away from the catcher, but the tag was applied to stop the tying run from scoring. The next batter grounded out as the Wolves lost game two 5-4.

Lead Wolf: Osterhout stood out for the Wolves in his first appearance in nearly two years. He allowed the one run but pitched to contact. He recorded one strikeout in the appearance and navigated his way through the four innings on just 45 pitches

KC Notes:

• Friday was the first time Keuka has faced the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, but the fifth and sixth games against a University of Wisconsin school. The Wolves are still looking for their first victory over a team from the badger state
• Getting hit twice in game one, Shane Daley moves into a tie for eighth on the career hit by pitches list with 12
• It was the third career home run for Brady Booher and the first collegiate home run for Carlos Fantauzzi
• Matt Vaccaro walked in game two. It was career walk number 49, moving him out of a tie and into sole possession of fifth on the career list at Keuka College
• The leadoff single for Owen Garvey in the seventh of game two was the first career hit for the catcher from Pennsylvania
• After each recording hits in game one, Carlos Fantauzzi and Kyle Wood had their season-best seven and six-game hitting streaks snapped

Up Next for Keuka College: The Wolves return home this week and have a final tune-up before the start of Empire 8 play. Keuka College will travel to Rochester to face RIT in a single game on Wednesday afternoon. Then the Wolves will open their conference schedule with a three-game series at Elmira College on Friday and Saturday.