Rochester, NY – Unlike the recent meetings where outs seemed to be at a premium, the reverse was true in terms of hits and runs on Friday, as the Clarkson University Baseball team and Rochester combined for just nine hits, with the Yellowjackets coming away with a 5-2 win at Towers Field.

The Golden Knights dropped to 5-12 overall and 4-2 in the Liberty League, and Rochester improved to 13-8 and 5-2. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 12:00 noon.

Things were quiet for the first three innings, as neither team had a hit. Clarkson got its leadoff hitter on in the first, but did not have another until the sixth, and Rochester didn't get a baserunner until the third. The Yellowjackets took advantage of a couple Clarkson miscues in the fourth and produced three runs. Joseph Rende and Colton Cruser each scored on a double by Colton Avera, with Cruser's run being unearned, and John Moses drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Another sac fly by Cruser, which plated Rende after he tripled, gave Rochester a 4-0 lead through five innings.

The Knights did get on the board in the sixth as Caleb Doyle drove home Joe Pagano with a two-out single to right, but the Yellowjackets got the run back in the bottom of the seventh on a solo home run from Rende. Clarkson chipped away with a run in the eighth, as Kent Wilson got things started with a one-out double and later came home on a wild pitch, but Clarkson's rally in the ninth was thwarted with a game-ending double play.

Clarkson actually outhit the Yellowjackets, 5-4, with Joseph Rende accounting for three of Rochester's four base knocks. Caleb Doyle recorded two of Clarkson's five hits. Mateo Sarabia tossed a complete game for the Knights, allowing four hits and two walks over eight innings, but he unfortunately took the loss. Nolan Sparks gained the victory for Rochester, giving up two hits and an earned run while striking out nine over seven innings. Mark Aaronson threw a scoreless ninth to earn his fifth save of the year.