PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – Two big innings, scoring four runs in the third and sixth frames, lifted the University of Rochester baseball team to an 11-4 victory over the College at Brockport on Wednesday evening at Towers Field.
The Yellowjackets (7-6) pounded out 13 hits in the win, three each of the bat of David Rieth and Steve Pickering, with both Jack Herman and Aiden Finch scoring three runs. Jacob Matzat and Finch also both drove in three runs.
Brockport (7-10) was paced by Tom Kretzler who went 3-5 with a double, triple and run scored.
On the mound for UR, Trevor Van Allen pitched four solid innings in his first collegiate appearance. The first-year allowed four hits, two runs, one walk and struck out two. Jon Turk earned the win with one shutout inning of relief, while three other pitchers, Kevin Ho, Spencer Rojahn and Brendan Shamieh all sealed the win with effective outings.
The Golden Eagles starter Cooper Meldrim was saddled with the loss, giving up six runs in 2.1 innings of work. Kyle Canavally and Maddox Minton finished the game, each throwing 2.2 innings or more of relief.
Brockport jumped out to the early 1-0 lead as Anthony Eaton lined a single up the middle scoring Kretzler who reached on a two-out double.
The Yellowjackets answered with two in the bottom of the first though, as Finch singled in Rieth and Pickering drove in Herman with an infield hit.
Eaton provided the next run of the game as well for Brockport, evening the game with a sacrifice fly in the third inning, plating Nicholas Pastore.
Rochester scored four in batting around the lineup in the bottom of the frame to take the lead for good. After a groundout, Rieth tripled. Herman walked and Finch doubled to right, scoring two runs. After Pickering singled to put runners at the corners, Matzat hit grounder through the left side for an RBI.
A double-steal put runners at second and third and Harper Sy found the outfield with a single to plate the fourth run of the inning, making the score 6-2.
Four more runs crossed home in the sixth, all unearned thanks to a big error to start the inning. Rieth had an RBI single to right center, Pickering laced a ground-rule double to right and Matzat's opposite field single scored two runs, pushing the lead to 10-2.
Two UR errors in the seventh allowed Brockport to get two runs back, but the Golden Eagles returned the favor in the eighth, allowing an unearned run to come home and reach the final score of 11-4.
Rochester remains on its home stand this weekend, hosting Skidmore in two Liberty League conference doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday. Friday's games are scheduled to start at 4 pm, with Saturday's action beginning at 1 pm.