POTSDAM, NY – Rochester's baseball team split a Liberty League doubleheader with Clarkson University on Saturday afternoon at Clarkson's Jack Phillips Stadium.
UR took game one by an 8-2 score, scoring five runs over the last two innings, while Clarkson rallied in game two, earning a walk-off 9-8 victory in the bottom of the ninth.
Rochester's record moves to 11-4 on the season, 5-1 in the Liberty League, while Clarkson is now 9-9 overall and 4-2 in the conference. The same two teams meet tomorrow in Rochester for another doubleheader, with game one starting at 2 pm.
The Yellowjackets got things started in the top of the first inning in game one, with Steve Pickering proving an RBI single, driving in Aaron Whitley who led off the game with a single and stole second.
UR's lead doubled in the second when Josh Leadem doubled to right, driving in John Moses.
In the third, Clarkson got one back thanks to a Caleb Doyle RBI double, but the Yellowjackets answered right back when Joseph Rende led off the third with a solo home run to center.
Clarkson clawed back within one, getting an unearned run in the fourth, with the score remaining 3-2 until the sixth.
The sixth inning saw two UR runs cross the plate, boosting the Yellowjacket lead to 5-2, with Whitley and Rende providing RBI's. In the seventh, Jackson Reed doubled in two runs and Brian McKinsey followed with an RBI double of his own to make the score 8-2.
On the mound, Jon Turk (2-0) tossed a 7-inning complete game for Rochester, allowing just five hits and two runs (one earned) with seven strikeouts. Glenn Stever (3-1) took the loss for the Golden Knights.
UR pounded out 16 hits, six for extra bases, in the game one win, Six 'Jackets recorded multiple hits. Leadem and McKinsey each went 3-for-4, while Whitley, Rende, Moses and Harper Sy ending with two hits each.
Rochester looked poised for the sweep early in game two, jumping ahead 5-0 after one and a half innings.
Sy provided a sacrifice fly in the top of the first, while four runs came across in the second. Jacob Matzat scored on a wild pitch, Leadem scored on a Luke Piontek single and Whitley laced a triple to right, scoring two more.
Clarkson was able to answer with a big six-run second inning though and grabbed the lead. Kent Wilson and Zachary Carpin each cleared the fence for home runs in the frame which was kept alive thanks to a UR error. All six runs in the inning ended up being unearned against UR starter Nolan Sparks.
In the third, Clarkson scored another run on a fielders choice and the lead was 7-5 after three.
Pickering tied the score at 7-all with a two-run single to center in the fifth, but the Golden Knights were able to regain the lead in the bottom of the inning with a Colby Brouillette RBI double.
The score stayed 8-7 Clarkson entering the ninth inning, but UR threatened right away as Reed led off with a single to center. After McKinsey moved him up to second, a hard Whitley lineout put UR down to its last out. Rende drew a walk to put the go-ahead run on base for Sy who ended up lining a base hit to center, driving in the tying run. Pitcher Griffin Tubbs induced a groundout to end the threat.
In the bottom of the ninth, Brouillette recorded his fifth hit of the game, sending Clarkson home with the walk-off win, driving in Jonathan Irons who reached via infield single.
Tubbs (3-1) earned the win for Clarkson, tossing two innings of relief. Thomas Karpishin was saddled with the loss, yielding one run over 2.2 innings of work. He struck out three.
For Rochester, Whitley finished a home run shy of the cycle in game two, going 4-for-5 with a double, triple, 2 stolen bases, 2 runs and 2 RBI. Pickering had two hits and two RBI, while Reed scored twice.
Clarkson's Brouillette finished 5-for-5 with two doubles and three RBI. Michael Tito went 2-for-5, while Mike Mieczkowski scored three runs in the nightcap.