PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – Down two in the bottom of the ninth, University of Rochester baseball rallied for three runs to walk off on the Skidmore College Thoroughbreds in game three of the Liberty League Crossover series to win the series and clinch a spot in the Liberty League Tournament.
After Colby Cruser struck out the side in the top of the inning, Rochester headed into the bottom of the ninth down 6-4, down to the final three outs of, potentially, their season. Christian Giresi relieved Sam Dalsimer to try and finish off the victory for Skidmore, having gone five-straight appearances without allowing a run.
But the Yellowjackets got to Dalsimer quickly, as Josh Leadem led off with an inside-the-park home run, blasting Dalsimer's 3-2 pitch to deep center field. Just two pitches later, Luke Gregory went back-to-back, getting just enough of the 0-1 offering to tie the score at 6-6 just 10 pitches into the ninth. And after Henry Jamieson singled to center, putting the game-winning run on base, the Thoroughbreds made another call to the bullpen.
Grayden Harris relieved Giresi, but a perfectly-placed bunt by Matt Rieth put runners on first and second with nobody out. Ethan Jaquette pinch-ran for Jamieson, and while Harris got Cruser to pop out, Jackson Reed reached on a fielder's choice to put runners at the corners, and after Reed took second, the Thoroughbreds intentionally walked Dylan Stezzi to load the bases for Dan Tirabassi.
Just three pitches into the at-bat, Tirabassi ripped a single through the left side, scoring Jaquette to walk things off and give the Yellowjackets a 7-6 victory, the series victory and a Liberty League Tournament berth.
Dillon Bevan got the start for UR, and after the senior worked around a two-out single, Rochester struck first in the bottom of the frame. Cruser reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the first and took second on Reed's sacrifice bunt, and after Stezzi's single put runners at the corners, Alec Ellison brought home the game's first run with an RBI single to left.
Sammy Besztery followed with another single, one of three straight in the bottom of the first for the 'Jackets, but a strike 'em out throw 'em out double play allowed Skidmore to escape the inning without any more damage.
The Thoroughbreds then responded in the top of the second, tying the game on Eddie Galvao's RBI single to center. And while Skidmore would also load the bases in the second, Bevan got a fielder's choice and two flyouts to keep the game tied at one.
Rochester came right back to retake the lead in the bottom of the second, rallying with two outs on Cruser's RBI single to center. Reith drew a hit-by-pitch and came all the way around to score from first on Cruser's RBI knock, but Chase Siegel would hold Rochester to just one run, despite UR again loading the bases, getting a groundout to keep the lead at 2-1.
Skidmore answered right back in the top of the third, this time taking their first lead of the afternoon and chasing Bevan. After Bevan yielded back-to-back walks and a sacrifice bunt, Sammy Rosenfield relieved Bevan, but Sam Kornet spoiled an 0-2 count with an RBI single to left to level the score at 2-all.
Galvao then knocked in another run with an RBI double to give the Thoroughbreds their first lead of the game, 3-2, before Rosenfield got out of the inning, striking out both Nick Duryea and Mac Cady.
Rochester would have opportunities to respond in both the third and fourth innings, but Siegel stranded a pair with a strikeout and groundout in the bottom of the third, and after the Thoroughbreds tacked on another in the top of the fourth, Siegel and Ethan Caiazza combined to strand two more in the bottom of the fourth, two of 13 runners left on base for the Yellowjackets on day.
Skidmore extended its lead to 4-2 on Zachary Leiderman's RBI double in the top of the fourth, but Matt Casiero, who relieved Rosenfield after back-to-back walks to start the frame, worked out of the inning without allowing any more damage, coming in with two on and nobody out, and allowing just the one inherited runner to score.
The Yellowjackets finally got back on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth, after Casiero worked a 1-2-3 top of the frame. Jamieson's two-out, solo home run to center made it a 4-3 Skidmore lead, but the Thoroughbreds would come right back to answer in the top of the sixth.
A walk and a single put two on with just one out for Skidmore, and after UR couldn't turn two on Owen Roy groundout to second, Trey Bourque came around to score on the errant throw by Besztery, once again giving the Thoroughbreds a two-run lead.
In the top of the seventh, Matthew Grier relieved Casiero and pitched another 1-2-3 frame, striking out a pair, before Leadem again pulled Rochester within one, leading off the bottom of the seventh with a solo shot to left.
But once again, the Thoroughbreds would answer in the next frame, with a pair of two-out walks forcing Joe Reina to make another pitching change. Thomas Blaydes relieved Grier, but Roy came through with another RBI single, as Bourque just beat the throw home. However, on Ewen Donald's single through the right side, Leadem, this time, would nail Leiderman out at home, keeping Skidmore's lead at just two.
Rochester would leave another runner on base in the bottom of the eighth, but Cruser struck out the side in the top of the ninth to send the 'Jackets into the ninth with some momentum, where they'd score three to walk things off and clinch the series and tournament berth.
Cruser (2-1) picked up the win, striking out the side in his one inning of work, while Giresi (5-1) took the loss, allowing three runs on three hits without recording an out.
Casiero pitched three innings of relief for UR, allowing one unearned run on two hits, while Grier pitched 1.2 innings, allowing one run, walking two and striking out three.
At the plate, Leadem went 2-for-4 with two home runs, two runs scored and two RBI, while Jamieson went 2-for-5 with a home run, run scored and RBI. Reed and Stezzi each added two hits, both going 2-for-5 with Stezzi drawing a walk, while Gregory went 1-for-5 with his solo home run to tie things up in the bottom of the ninth.
Rochester will next hit the road for the 2024 Liberty League Tournament, beginning on Thursday, May 9 at a location to be determined.