TROY, NY – The fourth-seeded University of Rochester baseball team rode a strong pitching performance from senior Nolan Sparks and plated three runs in the second inning, leading to a 3-1 victory in the opening game of the Liberty League Tournament on Thursday afternoon at Robison Field at Karl Steffen Ballpark.
In the game, Sparks became the all-time strikeout leader in Rochester history, getting his 236th career strikeout with his first of the game. The senior did not stop there, fanning 13 RPI batters en route to his second complete game win of the season.
Overall, Sparks tossed 126 pitches in the 9-inning effort, allowing six hits with one run and no walks. His lone wild pitch was what caused RPI's run to score following a triple.
Rochester (20-17) got all of its offense in the three-run second inning. Josh Leadem led off with a single and Sammy Besztery followed with a bunt single. Dan Tirabassi reached on a fielders choice and the 'Jackets had the bases loaded.
After an infield fly, graduate student Henry Jamieson nearly legged out a grounder to third, scoring a run to put the visiting Yellowjackets on the board. Matt Rieth stepped up next and laced a single to center, scoring Tirabassi and Besztery to boost the UR lead to 3-0.
Sparks took the lead and kept the momentum in UR's favor, striking out the side in the bottom half of the inning. The Rochester righty ended up striking out seven batters in a row stretching into the third before yielding his first hit, a single to right.
The Engineers (20-13) threatened in the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back 2-out singles, but Sparks induced a ground out to first base to end the inning.
UR followed by getting a pair of runners on in the top of the sixth when Dylan Stezzi walked and Besztery singled to left with one out, only to see RPI escape with no damage, getting a strikeout and fly out for the final two outs.
RPI broke the shutout in the bottom of the seventh. Joey Saia laced a triple to right center and scored on a wild pitch. Sparks limited the Engineers to just one run though, striking out the side for the second time on the day.
In the ninth, the Yellowjackets loaded the bases after Jamieson doubled and Colby Cruser and Jackson Reed both walked, but RPI was able to wiggle out of the jam with a strikeout.
Martin Marintchev doubled to leadoff the Engineer ninth, but was left at second when Sparks got two fly outs and a ground out to end the game.
Sparks' strikeout record pushed him past Blair Veenema '09 on the all-time UR list. In addition, the UR senior started his 38th career game, ranking second all-time and picked up career win number 19, fourth most in program history.
At the plate Besztery finished 3-for-4 with a run scored for UR. Jamieson went 2-for-4 with a double and RBI, while Rieth was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a sacrifice.
Rochester now moves on in the double-elimination, four-team tournament and will play the winner of the Ithaca, Union matchup on Friday afternoon at 1 pm in a winners bracket game.