HENRIETTA, NY – University of Rochester baseball dropped a pair to open its weekend series against the Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers on Friday afternoon at the RIT Baseball Complex. The Tigers topped the Yellowjackets in a game-one slugfest, 11-7, before edging the Yellowjackets in game two, 4-3. With the two wins, RIT moves to 19-11 (13-3 LL) on the year, while Rochester falls to 12-20 (5-12 LL).
Game 1: RIT 11, Rochester 7
Rochester would strike first with a pair of runs against Ryan Moran in the top of the first, but the Tigers would answer right back to tie the score in the bottom of the frame. In the top of the first,
Carlos Barajas drew a one-out walk, while
Benjamin Garber followed with a hit-by-pitch. Then, after
Logan Mathias moved the runners up a base with a groundout to first,
Jake Bentivenga gave the 'Jackets a 2-0 lead with a two-run single up the middle.
However, the Tigers would quickly tie things up in the bottom of the first, as the first three batters reached on a walk, double, and RBI single, before Roberto Reade evened the score at 2-2 with a sacrifice fly to center.
Andrew Lenhard worked out of the inning without allowing another run to keep the game tied at two, but after a scoreless second, RIT plated four runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead. The Tigers would load the bases on a pair of singles and a walk, and take the lead on Charlie Slaymaker's fielder's choice and a throwing error. Two batters later, Evan Kurtz knocked in a pair to make it 6-2.
Rochester would get a run back in the top of the fifth, taking advantage of a throwing error on Barajas' fielder's choice with runners at first and second, but the Tigers would answer back with another three runs in the bottom of the fifth.
RBI singles by Trent Rapp and Jarin Moses extended RIT's lead to 9-3, while the Tigers added another run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 10-3 ballgame.
Another run on Slaymaker's RBI double in the bottom of the eighth extended RIT's advantage to 11-3, before the 'Jackets mounted a rally in the top of the ninth.
George Farley IV got the inning started with a solo homer to left to cut RIT's lead to seven, while after a walk and an error,
Teddy Monahan doubled home a run to make it 11-5. Barajas brought home another run with a sacrifice fly to pull the 'Jackets within five, with another error brought Monahan around to score and made it an 11-7 ballgame.
Mathias then doubled, putting the game-tying run in the on-deck circle, but Ryan Merkov got a strikeout to stem the Yellowjackets' rally and give RIT an 11-7 victory.
Lenhard (2-2) took the loss for Rochester, allowing six runs, three earned, on six hits, walking and striking out three over 3.0 innings pitched. Moran (5-0) earned the win for RIT, allowing three runs on three hits over 5.0 innings pitched, while Merkov (1) picked up the three-inning save.
At the plate, seven different Yellowjackets tallied a hit, with Bentivenga driving in a pair, going 1-for-5 with two RBI. Mathias and Monahan each hit a double, while Farley IV hit a home run.
Game 2: RIT 4, Rochester 3
Playing as the home team in game two,
Zach Herzog got the start for URochester and struck out a pair in the top of the first. The junior would hold the Tigers to just three runs, only two of which were earned, on seven hits, walking one and striking out three over 5.0 innings pitched.
The Tigers would score a pair in the top of the second on Slaymaker's RBI double and Sam Kulp's RBI groundout, taking advantage of a fielding error that extended the inning. And after a pair of scoreless frames by Herzog, RIT would tack on another run to make it 3-0 in the fifth on Rapp's RBI double, scoring Kurtz after a leadoff bunt single.
RIT's Jack Luensmann would hold the Yellowjackets to just one hit over the first six frames, but after Luensmann came back out for the bottom of the seventh, URochester broke through to tie the score at three.
Mathias led off the inning with a single, and
Declan Jack walked to put two on with nobody out. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third and
Randy Davis pinch-ran for Jack, but Luensmann got
Ryan Huckabone to line into a double play to put two outs on the board. However, after
Grady Davis drew another walk,
Tristan Datta beat out an infield single, and
Randy Davis came around to score on a throwing error to put Rochester on the scoreboard.
And after the Tigers made a pitching change, bringing in Dylan Joseph to relieve Luensmann, Monahan singled to center to make it 3-2, while a wild pitch brought Datta home to tie the score at three.
But after Joseph stranded the go-ahead run at second base, RIT would answer back to retake the lead in the top of the eighth. Mikey Zacher laced a two-out double down the left field line, and Kulp followed with an RBI single through the right side, giving the Tigers a 4-3 lead.
Rochester then looked to answer in the bottom of the frame, but Joseph got a 5-4-3 double play to strand the game-tying run in the eighth, and then got another 5-4-3 double play in the ninth to finish off the 4-3 victory and doubleheader sweep for RIT.
Derek Llanes (0-3) took the loss for Rochester, allowing one run on three hits over 2.2 innings pitched, while Joseph (5-0) earned the win for RIT, holding URochester scoreless over 2.1 innings pitched.
Mathias had two hits to lead the 'Jackets at the plate, while Monahan went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
The Yellowjackets will wrap up the weekend series against the Tigers on Sunday, April 26. First pitch at Towers Field is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
