The University of Rochester baseball team's bats broke out in a big way on Friday night as the team smacked around 19 base hits en route to a 10-6 victory over Medaille College at Towers Field.
Junior Brendan Garry led the way going 4-4 with two doubles, two RBI and a run while seven other Yellowjackets supplied at least two hits. Junior Sam Slutsky, sophomore Brian Munoz and freshman Will Conroy all had two hits and scored two runs. Sophomore Matt Todd also added two hits including a 2-run inside-the-park home run in the fifth inning. Rochester is now 4-9 on the season.
The Mavericks (4-5) got on the board first with an RBI single from DH Cory Bukowski before the Yellowjackets took the lead with three runs in the second frame. Garry and freshman Brandon Heinrich provided RBI doubles which followed by a well executed double steal of second and home by Heinrich and Slutsky.
Medaille responded with another run in the 3rd on an RBI single from Bukowski, but the Yellowjackets were able to tack on two more runs in the bottom of the inning. Conroy had an RBI single and junior Tyler DeClerck had an RBI ground out to push the UR lead to 5-2.
In the 4th, the Mavericks were able to even the score with three unearned runs. A leadoff strikeout turned into a base runner on a dropped third strike and throwing error. That mishap allowed Kyle Powell, Jake Tyno and Travis Cavanne all to provide 2-out RBI base hits for Medaille.
Sophomore Nolan Schultz doubled in a run and Munoz and Garry also singled in runners to boost the lead back to three in the bottom of the fourth inning. Todd added two insurance runs in the 5th on his inside-the-park HR before Medaille was able to scratch away at its final run in the sixth on a Korey Hagen base hit.
On the mound for UR, freshman starter Steven Russell threw 4 innings, allowed 6 hits, 5 runs (2 earned) while walking 4 and striking out 3. Reliever Grant Petito pitched four strong innings allowing just two hits, 1 unearned run and 2 walks while fanning 3 batters. Evan Janifer pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for UR.
The Yellowjackets look to carry the momentum from the victory into Liberty League doubleheaders against RIT on Saturday and Sunday. First pitch is slated for noon on both days at UR's Towers Field.