ROCHESTER, NY – Needing wins to keep their Liberty League postseason hopes alive, the University of Rochester picked up two in a doubleheader sweep of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Saturday at Towers Field.
The Yellowjackets won game one 8-1, behind a two-hitter from starting pitcher John Ghyzel, and then won the nightcap by an 8-4 score, getting a nice bullpen effort from Brendan Shamieh and Tyler McConway.
Rochester improves to 9-17, 6-10 in the Liberty League with the wins while the Engineers drop under .500 overall at 16-18 and 8-8 in the conference.
GAME ONE:
Ghyzel was terrific on the mound for UR, tossing a complete game two-hitter, allowing one run and four walks while striking out eight. It was only the second win of the season for the junior.
The Yellowjackets were able to get on the board first in the bottom of the second inning on a sacrifice fly from freshman Kyle Trombley. In the third, Grant Kilmer provided a sac fly of his own, plating Tyler Schmidt, and when the throw home got bobbled away by the RPI catcher, Aiden Finch made it 3-0 UR.
Schmidt then lined one of his three singles in the game in the fourth inning, scoring Jake Hertz for a 4-0 lead.
Rensselaer's Sam Lawrence lifted a solo home run to center in the sixth inning to put RPI on the board, but the Yellowjackets answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning to reach the final 8-1 margin.
Finch was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Kilmer followed with a two-run single up the middle and Jack Herman drew a bases loaded walk for the final run of the game.
Offensively, Schmidt finished 3-3 with two runs and an RBI while Herman was 2-3 with an RBI and a walk. Kilmer was 1-2 with three RBI and a stolen base and Hertz was 2-4.
RPI's Christopher Palmiero took the loss, going five innings, allowing nine hits, four runs and two walks while striking out three.
GAME TWO:
Rochester was able to take game two thanks to five Rensselaer miscues and strong work out of the bullpen, holding RPI off the board for the final four innings of the game.
Shamieh got the victory for the Yellowjackets in relief, going 3.1 innings and allowing just one hit while striking out and walking two. Tyler McConway pitched a scoreless ninth inning after the leadoff hitter reached. Rochester's starter was Garrett Renslow who went 4.2 innings, gave up nine hits, four hits, three walks and struck out one.
RPI scored first in the nightcap, scoring a run on a Jason Ramos single to centerfield. Rochester responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning though, scoring a run on a fielding error.
In the second, Trombley singled up the middle to give UR the lead, and another Engineer error led to a second run in the inning, giving the Yellowjackets a 3-1 edge.
Rensselaer trimmed the lead to one in the fourth after Weston Hawkins singled to left, scoring J.T. Sawyer, but again Rochester answered back, scoring three runs in its half of the fourth, coming on a muffed throw at the plate on a Schmidt single and then on a 2-run double by David Rieth.
RPI's Ethann Meister singled in two with a base hit in the top of the fifth showing that the Engineers wouldn't go away, but another Rensselaer error allowed a run to score in the bottom of the inning, giving UR a 7-4 lead after five.
Shamieh and McConway then shut down RPI the rest of the way with a wild pitch plating the final UR run in the seventh inning.
Schmidt had his second 3-hit game of the day in game two, going 3-5 with a run scored. Hertz went 2-4 with a run and Trombley was 2-2 with an RBI, 2 runs and 2 stolen bases.
RPI's Meister finished 2-4 with 2 RBI and Yahriel Jimenez was 2-4 as well. On the mound, Aaron Kalish took the loss, going two-plus innings, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs (1 earned) and 2 walks. Erick Zecha gave up four runs in 2.2 innings of work with five strikeouts while Mike Paleologopoulos pitched the final 3.1 innings and struck out four batters for the Engineers.
Same two teams play another doubleheader on Sunday, with Rensselaer batting as the home team. First pitch of the DH is set for noon.