PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – Visiting Oswego State used a 5-run seventh inning and hung on in the ninth, posting a 5-4 win in non-conference baseball action on Wednesday evening at UR's Towers Field.
The win snaps Oswego's four-game skid and improves the Lakers to 23-12 overall, while Rochester drops to 16-14 over the 2019 campaign.
Both teams used the mid-week contest to get their pitchers some short inning work, with a total of 15 hurlers taking the hill in the contest. The longest outing of the day went to Oswego starter Jake Jacobs who went four scoreless innings.
Nick Chilson provided the biggest hit of the game, clubbing a grand slam in the top of the seventh inning to give Oswego a then 4-2 lead. The Lakers added a fifth run in the inning, one which proved to be the difference.
Rochester was able to take the lead after scoring the games first two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Harper Sy lined a hard shot back to the pitcher for an infield single to open the frame. After stealing second, Sy moved to third on a Jake Hertz sac bunt and was singled in by fellow first-year Joseph Rende.
David Rieth followed with a single, putting runners at the corners. Kyle Trombley then plated the second run on a safety squeeze play to first base, putting the Yellowjackets up 2-0.
UR pitchers were excellent in eight of the nine innings. Trevor Van Allen got the start and threw two innings of hitless ball. Jon Turk, Brendan Shamieh, Dan Agate and Kevin Ho each went one inning in relief and combined to give up just one hit, as the Lakers were scoreless through six.
That changed in the seventh. A single and walk against Hank Powers started the inning. After a strikeout, another walk loaded the bases, chasing Powers from the hill. Tyler McConway relieved and Chilson was sitting on the first pitch, lining a shot over the left field fence to give the Lakers the edge.
Rocco Leone then added the insurance run, driving in Dylan Frawley with a two-out single, making the score 5-2. UR's final two innings were thrown by Jack Herman who didn't allow a hit and struck out two.
Rochester got back into it with two additional runs in the bottom of the eighth, both coming on a big two-out single by Hertz. Aiden Finch and Zach Mraz scored the runs to cut the lead to 5-4.
The Yellowjackets then threatened in the ninth, loading the bases against Bobby Zywicki thanks to two walks and a single, but the Oswego pitcher wiggled out of the tough spot, getting a flyout and ground out to end the game, stranding the winning run in scoring position.
Offensively, Sy finished 3-4 with a run scored and a stolen base for the Yellowjackets. Rende went 2-4 with a run and RBI, while Rieth also had two hits on the day.
Ryan Enos was the lone Laker to finish with multiple hits, going 2-4 with a run, as the Lakers were held to just five base hits in the contest.
The Yellowjackets return to action on Saturday and Sunday, playing big conference doubleheaders on both days at Union College. Saturday's games start at 1 pm, with Sunday's first pitch slated for noon.