ONEONTA, NY- The University of Rochester baseball team won two tight games over Bard College on Saturday, clawing its way back to .500 on the season.
Sophomore relief pitcher
Evan Janifer would pick up a win and a save on the day as Rochester (12-12, 8-6 Liberty League) won game one in extra innings 3-1 and rallied for a 7-6 victory in game two over the Raptors (3-12-1, 0-6-1 Liberty League).
The contests are being played at Damaschke Field in Oneonta, NY as the field on Bard's campus is undergoing renovations.
In game one, the Yellowjackets were able to strike first in the fifth inning when outfielder
Matt Todd doubled in
Brian Munoz for a 1-0 lead. Munoz reached on a single and moved to second and then third on two UR groundouts.
The host Raptors would answer back in the bottom of the seventh and final inning of game one, tying the score on a Jack Hawke single off of 'Jacket starter
Michael Mondon. That scored pinch runner Tom Danz who replaced Alec Montecalvo who reached via infield single.
Janifer then came in and induced a double play from Quinn McInerney to end the threat and send the game to extras.
In the next half inning, UR would tack on two runs, both on a single from
Jake Meyerson scoring
Ethan Sander and pinch runner
Steve Eychner giving UR the 3-1 lead. In the bottom half, Janifer then pitched around a 2-out single in earning the victory, his second of the season for the Yellowjackets.
Mondon pitched great for Rochester in the no-decision, tossing 6.1 innings, while giving up two hits, one run and three walks while striking out a season-high seven. He went toe-to-toe with Raptor starter Dylan Long who fired seven innings of four-hit, one-run ball while walking three and striking out two.
In the nightcap, the Raptors were able to strike for five runs aided by three Yellowjacket fielding errors in the second inning. First JP Fisher singled in a run followed by Gabe Kleiman plating two more. Adam Carafotes grounded into a double play allowing another run to score and Hawke reached on an error, scoring the fifth run of the frame.
The Yellowjackets were able to get one run back in the 3rd, scoring a run when
Josh Ludwig singled to center, plating Sander.
Still trailing 5-1 entering the sixth, Rochester was able to score six runs, all unearned in the inning, taking a 7-5 lead late in the game.
After a Raptor error and double quickly started the inning, Munoz singled in
Lance Hamilton. Bard was able to then get two outs before
Tyler DeClerck scored on a wild pitch after a Sander walk. Todd then drew another walk and Ludwig then singled in a run trimming the lead to 5-4.
Dan Warren followed by drawing a bases loaded free pass to tie the game before Hamilton, who started the inning, lined a single to right scoring two more runs, giving Rochester a 7-5 lead.
Bard was able to scrape across a run in the bottom of the seventh off Janifer, but the sophomore closer left the tying run on second base with a game ending strikeout for his conference leading fifth save of the year.
In game two, Ludwig ended 2-3 with two RBI and a stolen base while Munoz was 2-3 with a run and RBI. Sander had two runs scored and drew two walks while also stealing a base.
On the mound,
Josh Schulman got the start going 2.2 innings while giving up five hits, five runs (2 earned) along with five walks. He struck out two.
Ethan McGowan ended up picking up the win with 3.1 innings of relief allowing just three hits and no walks while striking out one.
Bard was led by three players who had multiple hits in game two. Fisher, Kleiman and Harrison Forman all had two hits. The Raptors are coached by former UR player Ed Kahovec.
The same two teams with finish off the weekend on Sunday with a doubleheader starting at 12 pm.
