The University of Rochester baseball team split a doubleheader with visiting Bard College to open up Liberty League conference play on Saturday at Towers Field.
Rochester (5-7, 1-1 Liberty League) would get a 12-4 win in game one while the Raptors (3-10, 1-5 Liberty League) would grab their first conference win of the season with a 4-2 victory in game two.
The Yellowjackets would strike first in game one, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Nolan Schultz scored on a wild pitch and Lance Hamilton backed that up with an RBI triple, giving UR a 2-0 lead after one.
In the 3rd, Hamilton, Brian Munoz and Jake Meyerson each had RBI singles, boosting the lead to 5-0. It was 8-0 after the fourth inning when Schultz and Garry provided RBI's. UR also added an unearned run in the inning.
Bard would get its only runs of game one in the fifth, scoring four times, three coming on an Alec Montecalvo triple to center field. Eswar Vinnakota added the other RBI, singling in David Schlosser.
The Yellowjackets answered right back, scoring four of their own in the bottom of the frame. Freshman Tyler Schmidt matched Montecalvo, tripling in three runs with the bases loaded. Josh Ludwig then added an RBI groundout.
At the plate, Schmidt led UR going 2-3 with 3 RBI and 2 runs scored. Hamilton chipped in a 2-hit day with 2 RBI. For Bard in game one, JP Fisher and Adam Carafotes each went 2-4 with a run while Schlosser also had two hits and a run.
On the mound, Michael Mondon picked up the win for UR, tossing a complete game 7 innings with 8 hits, 4 runs and 5 strikeouts. Three pitchers, Quinn McInerney, Sam Grumet and Zach Hayes each tossed two innings for Bard.
In game two, Bard used a big first inning and made it hold up for the teams first ever win in Liberty League play. The Raptors would score four times off UR starter Josh Schulman, with Montecalvo providing an RBI single, Schlosser a run-producing double and Lee Perry driving in two with a base hit.
Schulman would setting in though after the rocky start, allowing just one hit over the next four innings. He ended the game going five innings, allowing five hits and four runs while issuing five walks and striking out a career-high 10 batters. Andrew Crean finished the game for Rochester, throwing four innings of 2-hit ball in relief.
Montecalvo got the start on the mound for the Raptors in game two. He pitched strong through the first six innings, only giving up two hits and two walks while striking out three. In the seventh, Rochester was able to break through, scoring twice to cut the lead in half. Dan Warren recorded an RBI fielders choice and then Matt Todd drew a bases loaded walk off of reliever Dylan Long to score UR's runs. Long then bounced back, striking out Ludwig with the bases loaded to leave the go-ahead run on base.
Long combined to give up just one hit over the final two innings to pick up his first save of the season for the Raptors.
The same two teams are slated to play a doubleheader on Sunday starting at 12 noon at UR's Towers Field.