HENRIETTA, NY – Host Hobart College scored six runs in an early inning across both games of the doubleheader, leading to a two-game sweep over the University of Rochester baseball team on Sunday afternoon at the RIT Baseball Complex.
 
The Liberty League matchup was played at RIT due to Hobart's field being unplayable this weekend. The Statesmen were the home team for both contests, winning 13-6 in the opener and 11-5 in the second game.
 
Hobart remains unbeaten in conference play in the early part of the season, moving to 4-0 in the Liberty League and 16-6 overall. URochester falls to 8-9 overall and is 1-4 in the conference. The same two teams meet up at Towers Field on the University of Rochester campus to complete the series on Monday evening at 6:30 pm.
 
Game 1: Hobart 13, Rochester 6
In game one, after both starting pitchers breezed through the first inning, Hobart was able to strike for a huge six-run frame in the bottom of the second, taking command of the contest.
 
Back-to-back walks and an infield single loaded the bases against UR starter Zach Herzog before a sacrifice fly gave the Statesmen the lead. Another two walks loaded the bases and then forced in a second run before four runs came in on the next play.
 
A single by Jack O'Neil plated two runs, and then a fielding error in center on that play saw the ball roll all the way to the fence, allowing Christian Petry and O'Neil to scamper home to make it a 6-0 Hobart lead.
 
URochester chipped away in the top of the third, getting a sacrifice fly from Benjamin Garber and an RBI infield single from Jake Bentivenga, making the score 6-2.
 
In the fourth, the 'Jackets got three more back, trimming the lead to just one, trailing 6-5. Luke Blozy and Teddy Monahan reached to start the inning and both came around to score two batters later when Jake Goldberg ripped a double to the gap in left center. After a walk and fly out, Garber reached on an infield single, with Goldberg racing around third and scoring to complete the three-run frame.
 
Hobart punched right back in its half of the inning though, getting three runs on four hits. Connor O'Neil had the big hit this time, driving in two runs with a double to left center, while J. O'Neil added another RBI base hit.
 
Sammy Besztery provided an RBI single to score Ryan Huckabone in the sixth inning, completing UR's scoring for game one.
 
The Statesmen tacked on four more runs for good measure in the bottom of the eighth, reaching the final score of 13-6.
 
Besztery finished 3-for-5 with an RBI while Goldberg had 2 hits, 2 runs and 2 RBI, chipping in a double for the Yellowjackets. Bentivenga also finished with a pair of hits and an RBI.
 
Four Statesmen had multiple hit games, with both O'Neil's ending with two hits and three RBI. Petry scored three runs, while Sean Garvin, Aidan Davenport and Jack Byrnes each scored twice.
 
Herzog took the loss on the mound for UR, tossing 2.0 innings while surrendering six runs (five earned). Christopher Trucano and Theo Beckey each yielded three runs, while Jake Del Vecchio wrapped things up for URochester.
 
Trevor Kimball started for Hobart and went 3.2 innings, surrendering 7 hits, 5 runs and 3 walks. Chris Lockwood earned the victory in 4.1 innings of relief, striking out three. Max Friedlander struck out two in a perfect ninth inning for Hobart.
 
Game 2: Hobart 11, Rochester 5
During game two, just one hit came about in the opening two innings, before a Carlos Barajas double scored Huckabone, giving the Yellowjackets a 1-0 lead during the top of the third.
 
Hobart's big inning in the night cap was an inning later than the opener, with the Statesmen striking for six in the third this time. In the inning, Hobart struck for six hits, five of which were singles to bat around, scoring the six runs which would be enough to eventually earn the victory. Jack Farnen and Isaiah Pinto had two-run hits for the Statesmen in the inning.
 
With his team now in the lead, Hobart starter Teck Nash began to settle in, setting down nine straight Yellowjackets in the fourth through sixth innings. Nash ended up earning the win, tossing 6.2 innings while allowing 6 hits and 4 runs, striking out 6.
 
The Statesmen tacked on five more runs in the bottom of the sixth, building an 11-1 lead. Petry had a big 2-run single, while Connor Schmiedlin drove in a run with a triple.
 
UR was able to get to Nash in the seventh, as Bentivenga crushed a 3-run home run to right, scoring Garber and Besztery, who led off the inning with back-to-back singles.
 
Bentivenga made it a four-RBI game in the ninth, completing the scoring of the contest with an RBI groundout.
 
Garber was the lone URochester batter with multiple hits in game two, going 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Bentivenga plated four of the five UR runs, with Barajas' double providing the other.
 
Five Statesmen batters finished with multiple hits during game two, led by Petry's 3-for-5 effort. He drove in two. C. O'Neil had two doubles and two runs scored, with Pinto driving in three with his 2-for-4 battling line.
 
On the mound, James Nelson took the loss for URochester. He went 5.1 innings and struck out three. Derek Llanes finished off the final 2.2 innings for the 'Jackets.
 
In relief of Nash, Charlie Forest allowed one unearned run in the final 2.1 innings for the Statesmen.