The University of Rochester baseball team opened up Liberty League play on Tuesday with a split doubleheader against RPI behind two great pitching performances.
Rensselaer (8-3, 1-1 Liberty League) took game one by a 2-0 score while Rochester (5-5, 1-1 Liberty League) sealed game two with a 6-1 victory.
In game one, RPI pitcher Mike Campisi pitched great, throwing a complete game (7 innings) one-hitter which probably should have been a no-hitter. Pinch hitter Chris Davis got UR's only hit when his pop-up was lost in the sun by the Engineer 2nd basemen.
RPI grabbed the lead in the fourth inning when Shane Matthews singled to left center, scoring Chuck Erickson. The lead was pushed to 2-0 in the next inning when after an error, bunt single and walk, Brandon Galluppi grounded out to score Al Mersman. UR pitcher Corey King did a good job to get out of the jam with no further damage, getting a strikeout and ground out to end the threat.
Rochester was able to get two runners on in the bottom of the fifth, but couldn't get the clutch hit to get on the board. King (1-2) was the hard luck loser in game one, throwing 6 innings, allowing 6 hits, 2 runs (1 earned) while walking 2 and striking out 3. Stephen Cool pitched a scoreless seventh for UR.
In game two, the Yellowjackets were able to jump out to a hot start in the first off of RPI hurler Sean Conroy. Sam Slutsky led off with a double followed by an Ethan Sander walk. They were then sacrificed ahead by Josh Ludwig. Nick Carlson then grounded out scoring Slutsky while Sander scored on an infield hit by Dan Warren. After one, UR held a 2-0 lead.
In inning two, UR tacked on three more runs when Slutsky singled in Jake Meyerson, Sander singled home Slutsky and Ludwig reached on an RPI error, scoring Sander.
That was all the support reigning Liberty League Pitcher of the Year Jon Menke needed, as he tossed a complete game (7 innings), allowed 4 hits, 1 run (unearned) with 7 strikeouts and no walks.
Erickson tripled in the Engineer run in the fourth inning, but Davis responded with an RBI single up the middle in the Rochester sixth.
UR next travels to Vassar on Friday and Saturday for two doubleheaders against the Brewers. Friday's contests are scheduled to start at 1 pm.