TROY, NY – Second-seeded Ithaca College earned its third straight walk-off victory, and second straight against the University of Rochester, to claim the 2024 Liberty League Baseball Championship on Saturday afternoon at Robison Field at Karl Steffen Ballpark.
Rochester (21-19) was able to rally from four runs down in the early going, scoring five straight to take the lead, but the Bombers (31-9) did just enough in the final inning, pushing two runs across on an Ethan Rothstein single to earn the victory.
Rothstein played hero for the second straight day, also walking-off Rochester in the winners bracket game on Friday with an RBI double to right center in the bottom of the 13th inning.
The Liberty League title is Ithaca's third straight, and earns the Bombers the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament. UR ended up falling in the championship round to Ithaca for the second time in the last three seasons.
Saturday's game started out strong for the Yellowjackets, with Jackson Reed and Colby Cruser leading off the game with back-to-back singles, immediately posing a scoring threat for the fourth-seeded 'Jackets.
Pitcher Danny Drotos was able to escape without any damage though, getting an infield fly and two fielder's choice ground outs to end the inning.
Ithaca used the momentum to push across the opening run of the game in the bottom half of the inning. A leadoff walk and a pair of wild pitches doomed starter Matthew Grier, as Colin Shashaty was able to score putting the Bombers in front.
In the second, Ithaca threatened again against Grier after two hit batters and a single by Shashaty loaded the bases with one out. UR went to the bullpen and Magnus Sivertson got a huge double-play ground out to strand the runners on, keeping it a 1-run game.
Rochester tied the game up in the top of the third. Matt Rieth led off with an infield single. Reed moved him up to second with a bunt. On a wild pitch, Rieth advanced to third and came around to score on an error when the Ithaca catcher tried to recover, but instead threw the ball away.
The lead didn't last though, as Ithaca parlayed a walk, double and fielding error into another run, pushing the score to 2-1. Sivertson did get another double play to get out of allowing any further damage in the frame.
Ithaca boosted the lead to four in the fourth inning, when Camden Laney clubbed a home run to right field, scoring three Bomber runs with one swing.
UR's comeback effort began in the next inning. Reith doubled to left and Reed followed with an RBI single. Cruser laced a single to right scoring Reed who advanced to second on a relay throw error. After two outs, another Bomber error allowed Cruser to come home, scoring UR's third run, cutting the lead back down to one.
Rochester followed that multiple run inning with another two runs in the sixth, taking a 6-5 lead.
Graduate student Henry Jamieson led off with a single to right and moved to second on a wild pitch. Luke Gregory moved him up to third before Rieth continued his strong game at the plate, ripping a single to right center, tying the game. Two batters later, Cruser provided another hit, recording a two-bagger to score Rieth and put the Yellowjackets in front.
With Rochester now in front, UR's Jack Subramanian was looking strong out of the bullpen in relief of Sivertson. He set down the Bombers without a hit in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings, only allowing three base runners during that stretch.
In the ninth, Subramanian started out by getting a ground out to retire his eighth straight hitter. On a 2-2 count on the next hitter, a pitch got away on the inside corner, grazing the batter to allow the tying run to reach base.
A single followed putting the winning run on, but Subramanian recovered to get a fielder's choice for the second out. Ithaca stole second to put both runners in scoring position before a walk loaded the bases.
UR decided to go to senior Thomas Blaydes in an attempt to get the final out. On his first pitch to Rothstein, the Bomber infielder singled to left, plating the tying and winning runs, sending the Bombers home happy.
Offensively, Rieth had his best game of the season, going 3-for-4 with a double, three runs and an RBI. Cruser finished off a terrific Liberty League Tournament with a 3-for-4 outing, adding a double, two RBI and a run scored. Reed was 2-for-4 with a run and RBI.
On the mound, Subramanian tossed 4.2 innings of solid ball, allowing just one hit, but was saddled with the loss after being charged with both runs in the ninth. He walked three and struck out one.
Grier started and went 1.1 innings, with Sivertson pitching through the fourth, getting credit for 2.2 innings on the mound.
Ithaca's Drotos finished the game allowing 7 hits and 4 runs (2 earned) while walking 1 and striking out 2. Dan Allard surrendered UR's go-ahead runs in the sixth before handing the ball off to Jack Colyer who tossed three scoreless frames.
Laney was 1-for-1 with his 3-run home run, also scoring twice after getting three free passes. Shashaty added a 2-for-4 game with two runs, while Ethan McDonough also went 2-for-4 for Ithaca.