SANFORD, FL- The Washington-St. Louis baseball team combined to score nine runs in the first four innings and held off a furious University of Rochester rally for a 9-8 win in the final game of the University Athletic Association Tournament for both teams.
Rochester drops to 2-6 overall and 2-6 in UAA play while Washington pushes its record to 5-7 overall (4-4 UAA).
The Yellowjackets were down big early in the contest, surrendering runs to the Bears in each of the first four innings. Rochester was able to scrape two across in the bottom of the 1st when
Nolan Schultz tripled in
Josh Ludwig and then advanced home on a wayward relay throw. After four innings, UR trailed 9-2.
In the sixth, Rochester looked to be mounting a comeback when
Sam Slutsky and
Ethan Sander started the inning with back to back singles. After a groundout moved the runners up, Schultz provided another RBI hit and then
Jake Meyerson doubled in another run. Senior
Nate Mulberg then walked with the bases loaded allowing a third run to cross the plate, cutting Wash U's lead to 9-5.
UR would then get three more in the bottom of the eight, trimming the lead to just one run at 9-8. Two walks and a
Matt Todd single loaded the bases to start the inning. Mulberg was then hit by a pitch scoring a run and pinch hitter
Brendan Garry and Slutsky each provided RBI's on fielder's choice grounders.
In the 9th, Bear reliever Dom Quaranta set the Yellowjackets down 1-2-3, picking up the save and preserving the 9-8 victory. Matt Tracy picked up the win for Wash U, going 5 1/3 innings, allowing 7 hits and 5 runs, four which were earned.
On the Rochester side, freshman starter
Steven Russell was saddled with the loss, allowing six runs on six hits in 2 2/3 innings.
Andrew Crean allowed the other three runs in 2 1/3 innings of relief. Junior
Ethan McGowan was spectacular in the final four innings for the Yellowjackets, fueling the potential comeback. McGowan threw four innings of hitless ball, striking out two and walking two.
Mulberg ended up reaching base three times in going 1-2 with a walk, hit by pitch, 2 RBI and a stolen base. Schultz was 2-5 with a triple, 2 RBI and 2 runs while Meyerson was 1-4 with a double, RBI and walk.
Upon returning to New York, the Yellowjackets next game is scheduled for Wednesday March 19th against Keuka at 4 pm on Towers Field.
