AMSTERDAM, NY – After two low scoring victories on Saturday to open the series, the bats woke up on day two of the four-game weekend with the University of Rochester posting two more wins to complete a series sweep over Union College on Sunday at Shuttleworth Park.
Rochester (19-14, 13-7 Liberty League) took game one by an 11-7 score and then won the nightcap 8-4.
In the opening victory, the Yellowjackets used a big fifth inning in which UR batted around and scored five times in the decisive inning. Harper Sy, Jake Hertz, Joseph Rende, and Aiden Finch provided RBI's in the inning which broke open a 6-6 tie.
Game two was a case of missed opportunities for both teams. Union (14-18, 10-10 Liberty League) stranded a whopping 15 runners on base during the loss while UR also left 12 men on, third most in a single-game this season by the Yellowjackets.
GAME ONE:
Rochester opened the scoring in the first inning when Steve Pickering launched a double to right, scoring Aiden Finch.
The Dutchmen answered in the top of the second, scoring four runs coming on a 2-run homer from Kevin Chaimowitz and a 2-run double by Joe Ganim.
UR's David Rieth then provided four runs on his own in the bottom half of the inning, hitting a grand slam home run to left, getting the five runs right back. The lead became 6-4 in the third when Hertz drove in a run with a fielders choice ground out.
Another Union homer, this time by Sean Cullen, with a runner on, tied the game back up in the top of the fifth inning.
In Rochester's fifth inning, Jacob Matzat led off with an infield single. Union bobbled a sacrifice bunt allowing Pickering to reach. After Jack Herman was hit by a pitch, Sy recorded an RBI on a fielders choice groundout.
Hertz then lined a single to right, scoring two runs, with Rende following that with a fielders choice which scored a run.
David Rieth and Kyle Trombley each singled to load the bases and Finch singled to center for the fifth run of the inning.
The Dutchmen scraped one run across in the top of the sixth, but could get no closer as the Yellowjackets took the opener 11-7.
Rieth finished 2-4 with a home run and 4 RBI. Hertz added a 2-4 game with a run and three RBI. Herman scored twice after drawing two walks and getting hit by a pitch, while Matzat was 2-2 at the plate.
On the mound, Jack Denzer tossed six innings and struck out seven while surrendering seven runs. Brendan Shamieh closed out his third straight game in the series with a scoreless final frame.
Cullen and Chaimowitz each had two hits and two RBI for Union, while Ganim drove in three runs.
GAME TWO:
In game two, Union scored first on an RBI ground out from Cullen, scoring Jack Koch who walked, stole second and reached third on a wild pitch.
UR's Zach Miraz provided a big fly, launching a 3-run homer in the bottom of the inning to give the Yellowjackets the early lead. Herman came around to score on an error after reaching via walk, putting Rochester up 4-1 after one.
Union got one back in the top of the next inning on a sacrifice fly from Justin Cabanas.
The Dutchmen then threatened in the top of the fourth, getting the bases loaded with one out after a walk, single and hit batter. UR's Trevor Van Allen escaped on the mound though, striking out Cabanas and inducing a groundout from Ganim.
Using that momentum, Rochester built on its lead when Herman delivered a 2-run double with two outs in the bottom of the inning.
Van Allen needed used another wizardly effort in the top of the fifth, escaping a second and third, no-out jam with three straight strikeouts, keeping the score 6-2.
Rochester's Rieth chased the Union starter Josh Garber with an RBI single to center, boosting the lead to five.
Union again loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, getting Van Allen out of the game in the process, but only were able to score one run coming on a sacrifice fly. The UR starter ended the game going 5.1 innings, giving up 6 hits, 3 runs and striking out 6.
It was more of the same in the seventh for Union, getting runners on base against reliever Kevin Ho. The first two batters reached, but Ho got two outs before a single and balk scored a run, making the score 7-4.
Hertz led off the bottom of the inning with a solo shot to left center, regaining the four-run cushion for UR.
Union stranded multiple runners on again in the eighth and ninth innings, giving Rochester the series sweep. Ho pitched the final 3.2 innings of work and got the save, allowing one run while striking out three.
Herman was 2-4 in game two with a double and two RBI. Finch had two hits and two runs scored, while Matzat reached all five times, drawing three walks and getting hit twice, and scored two runs.
Cullen and Will Bellamy each finished game two with two hits for Union. Garber took the loss on the mound, giving up seven runs (five earned) over 4.1 innings while striking out three.
Rochester has a non-conference game against St. John Fisher on Wednesday at Towers Field before hosting Bard College next Saturday and Sunday to close out the regular season.