BROCKPORT, NY – In a late-season non-conference matchup, the University of Rochester baseball team dropped a 5-3 decision at the hands of SUNY Brockport at the Clark Whited Complex on Wednesday afternoon.
The game featured just one half inning where more than one run crossed the plate, with Brockport's 2-run sixth proving to be the difference in the game. The Golden Flyers improve to 20-9 on the season, with Rochester falling to 19-11 overall.
Brockport scored first, tallying three hits and a single run in the bottom of the first inning off starting pitcher Matt Casiero. Brian Tietjen singled in leadoff hitter Justin Pangburn, but Casiero escaped with minimal damage after getting a line out double play.
Some erratic pitching from the Brockport staff allowed the Yellowjackets to tie the score in the third inning. Aaron Whitley walked with one out and stole second and third base. Colton Avera added a walk two batters later, with ball four heading to the backstop for a wild pitch, allowing Whitley to score.
The Golden Flyers got the run back in the bottom half of the frame with Tietjen providing another RBI, this time on a sacrifice fly.
Avera pulled the Yellowjackets back even in the fifth with a 2-out single to right, driving in Joseph Rende who doubled in front of him.
In the sixth, Brockport pulled ahead 4-2, scoring a pair of runs with a 2-out rally off of Thomas Karpishin. A couple walks and a single loaded the bases, with Nicholas Pastore providing the big hit with a 2-run single.
UR added another run back in the next half inning when John Moses reached on a fielders choice with the bases loaded. Brockport reliever Cooper Meldrim escaped the jam though, getting two straight strikeouts to end the threat.
Brockport added an insurance run in the eighth, as Pastore again was clutch with two outs, singling to right, scoring Josh Indek.
Rochester's Jackson Reed singled with two outs in the ninth, bringing Moses to the plate as the tying run, but UR's senior catcher hit into a fielders choice to end the game.
Rende, Avera and Reed each finished with multiple hits for the Yellowjackets. Rende added two runs scored while Whitley finished with three stolen bases, moving into third place all-time in Rochester history, with 66 steals for his career.
UR kept its midweek bullpen game strategy for this contest, using seven pitchers across the eight innings. Casiero was the only one to pitch more than one frame, allowing one run over two innings. Luke Boylan, Justin Grossman and Jason Cobert pitched shutout innings, with each adding one strikeout.
Rochester's next games are set to be played this weekend at St. Lawrence University. Weather forced the series to be moved up to a Friday start with a single game at 3 pm. Saturday's action remains a doubleheader, starting at noon.