ONEONTA, NY –Becker College lost to unbeaten Hartwick College 53-41 in non-conference football play on Saturday afternoon.
Becker scored just 1:01 into the game when Bobby Baker (Monroe, Conn.) connected with Luis Sanchez(Springfield, Mass.) on a 37 yard touchdown pass, giving the Hawk the early 7-0 lead. Hartwick responded on their next drive when Mike Mathews found Molina for a 25-yard score and Hartwick trailed 7-6. The PAT failed and on the ensuing kickoff, Kyle Gregg took the ball back 89 yards for the score and the Becker extended their lead to 14-6.
A Mathews to Tanner Williams 40-yard touchdown pass and subsequent Alex Tesoriero extra point cut the lead to one, 14-13, with 5:44 left in the quarter but a quick three and out gave the ball back to Hartwick. Just before the end of the first quarter, Mathews hit Williams for a 50-yard completion on the first play of the drive and four plays later Ahart ran it in from seven yards out to give Hartwick a 19-14 lead. Tesoriero's extra point extended it to a six-point edge, 20-14.
In the second quarter, neither team collected any points on the first four drives. Hartwick then had the ball on the Becker 12 but Mathews was intercepted by Becker sophomore Dom Whitley (Springfield, Mass.). Baker took advantage of the turnover by hitting C.J. Bostic (Jacksonville, Fla.) on a 64-yard touchdown pass, put the putting Becker in front 21-20. With 3:09 remaining in the first half, Deven Roberts (South Bound Brook, N.J.) intercepted the Hartwick quarterback, giving Becker ball at their own 31 yard line. Becker used 10 plays to go 69 yards, capping the drive with another Baker to Bostic touchdown pass, giving the visitors a 27-20 lead at halftime.
In the second half, the Hartwick defense forced a three and out to start the third quarter and a Mathews to Williams 35-yard touchdown pass and Tesoriero kick tied the score at 27-27. Clyde Miller then picked off Baker on his second throw from scrimmage, setting up Mathews' keeper from four yards out that put the Hartwick up to stay, 34-27, with 10:09 left in the third quarter.
Hartwick forced a Becker punt after the touchdown and the Blue and White used a huge 11-play 97-yard drive over the next 6:26 to extend the host's lead to 40-27. After Becker responded with a four yard touchdown run by Baker, Hartwick returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards, extending the led back to 12, 46-34.
Becker refused to go down quietly, going on an 83 yard drive, capping it off with a Kyle Gregg rushing touchdown. With Hartwick leading by a 46-41 margin following a Becker's touchdown with 5:28 remaining in the game, the visitors elected not to attempt an onside kick and instead kicked off to Hartwick. Hartwick kept the chains moving and kept eating away at the clock with three consecutive first downs.
Facing a 4th and 7 from the Becker 33 yard-line with under two minutes to play, a big 5-yard offside penalty gave Hartwick a 4th and 2 instead. On the ensuing play, freshman Joe Rosiecki not only secured the first down but he barreled his way into the end zone for a touchdown to make it an 11-point game and put Becker away.
Bobby Baker finished with 319 passing yards and three touchdowns on 29-of-52 passing with one pick for Becker. Bostic had a career high 139 yards and two touchdowns.
Becker will try to end their two game slide when they return home on Saturday, September 29th to begin Eastern Collegiate Football Conference action against Husson at 4pm.
