PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX –The University of Rochester baseball team saw its season come to a close on Saturday afternoon at Towers Field, splitting a doubleheader against Clarkson University in the Liberty League Season-Ending Series.
Visiting Clarkson used a solid start to lead to an 8-4 victory in game one, while a pair of Yellowjacket pitchers turned in a shutout in game two, leading to a 1-0 URochester win.
URochester's final record in 2026 ends at 14-21 overall and 7-13 in the Liberty League, while Clarkson ends the campaign at 17-17 overall and 8-12 in conference play.
Game 1: Clarkson 8, Rochester 4
In game one, the Golden Knights jumped in front with a trio of runs in the opening inning and never looked back, leading to the four run victory. Clarkson plated three runs in the first, with the first four batters all reaching safely.
After a leadoff walk, a UR error botched a potential double play ball, allowing two runners to be on base before Nolan Merrow singled to score the first run. Another single loaded the bases before a sacrifice fly from Joe Figliolino doubled the lead. Beau Vardion completed the 3-run frame with an RBI double to right.
URochester got on the board in the bottom of the second inning, with
Declan Jack singling to center, scoring teammate
Benjamin Garber who led off with a single to center.
Clarkson answered right back, putting up another three spot in the top of the third, making the score 6-1. C.J. Cartier reached on an infield single to score a run, before Seth Albert laced a 2-run triple to left, boosting the Golden Knights lead to five.
The next inning, Clarkson completed its scoring with Vardion ripping a 2-run double down the left field line, adding to the lead, making the score 8-1.
In the sixth, the Yellowjackets struck for a pair of runs, looking to get back into the game.
Carlos Barajas and Garber singled to put two runners on with one out. Two batters later,
Jake Bentivenga just missed a home run by a few feet, instead settling for a 2-run double off the wall in left.
Rochester threatened in the ninth, getting one run on a Barajas sacrifice fly, with two other runners being on base, but Clarkson Ryan Petrie finished off the contest without further damage, picking up the save.
Clarkson's Jacob Shirley earned his second win over the Yellowjackets this season, going 6 innings, giving up 7 hits and 3 runs while walking none and striking out 5. Petrie went 3 innings and allowed 1 run on 4 hits with 1 walk and 2 strikeouts.
Andrew Lenhard started for Rochester and was tagged for 8 runs (7 earned) on 11 hits and 2 walks, striking out 1 in 4 innings. He picked up the loss.
Out of the bullpen,
Derek Llanes and
Sam Loeb combined to hold the Golden Knights off the board for the final five innings, combining to allow just 1 hit and 5 walks while striking out 3.
At the plate, Garber finished 3-for-4 with two runs and a stolen base in the opener. Jack and
Ryan Huckabone ended 2-for-4, while Bentivenga had a double and drove in a pair.
Game 2: Rochester 1, Clarkson 0
The Yellowjacket pitching duo of
Zach Herzog and
James Nelson combined on URochester's second shutout of the 2026 season, allowing just five hits in the 1-0 victory.
Herzog earned his second win of the season, tossing a career-best 7 innings while allowing just 5 hits and 3 walks, striking out 4. Nelson earned his first career save, finishing off the game with two perfect innings in the eighth and ninth.
The lone run of the game came in UR's bottom of the first inning in a very Yellowjacket style of baseball.
Teddy Monahan led off with a swinging bunt single to the pitcher. Barajas then laid down a sacrifice bunt to third, moving his first year teammate to second. Monahan then stole third and came home when Bentivenga lifted a sacrifice fly to center field.
In the second and third innings, Herzog benefitted from a pair of 6-4-3 double plays, featuring Barajas,
Grady Davis and Jack in the infield, thwarting Clarkson's scoring chances.
UR looked to add to the lead in the fourth inning, with Barajas singling to center and eventually reaching third after a steal and wild throw from the catcher. Jack added a walk to put runners on the corners, but Clarkson escaped with no damage, staying within one run on the scoreboard.
The Golden Knights looked to take the lead in the sixth, loading the bases with a pair of singles and a walk. Herzog escaped though, getting Cartier to fly out on the first pitch of his at-bat, keeping the score 1-0.
Clarkson's offense was stymied the rest of the way with Herzog finishing his outing with a 1-2-3 seventh, before yielding the mound to Nelson who sat down all six Golden Knight hitters he faced.
Both teams combined for just eight hits total in the pitchers duel, with the trio of Nathan Hartley, Tommy DiFranco and Jason McGee holding the 'Jackets to just three hits. Harley was the tough-luck loser, going 6 innings, allowing 2 hits, 1 run, 1 walk while striking out 3.
Defensively, Barajas finished with nine defensive assists, eight of which came in the first four innings, tying for third most in a single-game in Rochester baseball history.
