PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – The University of Rochester baseball team mounted a ninth inning rally to force extra innings, but visiting Ithaca College emerged with a 10-9 victory in a Liberty League baseball matchup on Friday afternoon at Towers Field.
 
Friday's came closes out the late season conference series, with Ithaca (19-11, 12-5 Liberty League) posting a 2-1 series win, after the teams split Thursday's doubleheader at Ithaca. Rochester's loss moves the Yellowjackets to 13-12 overall on the season and 8-6 in conference play.
 
In the thrilling comeback during the ninth inning, senior Colby Cruser got the scoring started with an RBI single to right before a few batters later, senior Alexander Gonzalo ripped a 3-run, bases-clearing double to left field to knot the game at 9-all. That was UR's first time being tied in the game, as Ithaca went on top in the top of the first and never looked back.
 
The next inning, though, the Bombers mounted a 2-out rally to take the lead and score the winning run. Tyler Pugliese singled to right and after Zack Sperger pinch ran, Ryan Laubscher laced a triple over the right fielders outstretched glove to score Sperger.
 
UR again tried to extend the game in the bottom half of the inning, but after a 2-out double from Jackson Reed put the tying run in scoring position, Ithaca closer Sean Kelly got a foul out to end the game.
 
The 1-run game was the fourth in the last five games between the two schools. Ithaca now leads the all-time series with Rochester 66-23 since the series began back in 1970.
 
A pair of doubles in the opening inning game Ithaca the lead, and in the second, Laubscher blasted a double off the wall in center to boost the lead to 2-0.
 
Ithaca extended its margin in the third on a solo home run from Lucas Orlovitz, before Rochester started is scoring in the bottom of the fourth.
 

Cruser led off UR's half of the fourth with a double. Josh Leadem followed with a bunt single, with the ball getting thrown away, allowing Cruser to score from second and Leadem to take his place. During the next at-bat, Leadem got picked off, but Ithaca again threw the ball away, allowing the UR grad student to cross home, cutting the Bomber lead to one.
 
The two teams traded runs in the fifth inning, with the score moving to 4-3 after Cruser's opposite field RBI single to left.
 
In the sixth, Ithaca tacked on three more runs, making it a 7-3 ball game. After Ethan Fantel doubled to right, Matt Curtis reached on an infield single, with Fantel scoring after the ball got thrown away in the infield.
 
Collin Feeney doubled to put runners at second and third, and two batters later, Pugliese blooped a single to right in between a trio of 'Jacket defenders scoring two more runs.
 
Rochester's Jack Corcoran launched a 2-run home run in the bottom of the frame though, giving the Yellowjackets some momentum back while cutting the lead to 7-5.
 
Ithaca's string of scoring innings continued in the seventh and eighth when Andrew McDermott and Logan Scully each ripped solo home runs over the left field fence, regaining the four-run lead.
 
The big Bomber lead evaporated in the bottom of the ninth, only to see the visitors regain the lead with the winning run in the first extra inning of the contest.
 
For the day, Cruser led the 'Jackets with a 4-for-5 effort at the plate, driving in two and scoring twice. Gonzalo had three hits, including the big 3-run double in the ninth, while Reed added a 3-for-6 day at the plate with two runs scored. Leadem also finished 2-for-5 with two runs.
 
On the mound, Mark Aaronson started and tossed 3.2 innings, scattering eight hits. He allowed three runs and two walks, striking out five. Cruser relieved from his DH spot, giving up six hits and five runs, striking out six.
 
Leadem, Matt Casiero and Thomas Blaydes finished off the game for UR, with Blaydes getting saddled with the loss.
 
Ithaca's Jack Picozzi went six innings and yielded nine hits, five runs (4 earned) with no walks and five strikeouts. Reliever Jack Colyer was rolling along until the bottom of the ninth, finishing with three innings and three runs allowed, striking out three. He picked up the win and Sean Kelly secured the save with no runs allowed in the tenth inning.
 
At the plate, seven Bombers finished with multiple hits, led by Fantel and Pugliese who each had three base knocks. Ithaca finished with ten extra base hits in the game, including four home runs.
 
Rochester next plays on Tuesday afternoon, with UR hosting Hamilton College in a non-league doubleheader at Towers Field starting at 4 pm.