PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – The University of Rochester baseball team is headed to the Liberty League Tournament after throwing a pair of shutouts to sweep Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the conference crossover series on Saturday afternoon at Towers Field.
Rochester took game one 12-0 and earned a nail-biting 1-0 victory in game two, advancing to next weeks double-elimination conference tournament.
The Yellowjackets improve to 29-9 overall on the year and end conference play with a 16-3 league record. RPI falls to 14-18 to end its season, sitting at 6-12 in Liberty League games.
In game one, Rochester's pitching combo of Nolan Sparks and Jason Cobert combined to hold the Engineers off the board, while in game two, a trio of arms, Colby Cruser, Aidan Cooney and Thomas Karpishin combined on the shutout. The wins were the third and fourth via shutout this year for the Yellowjackets.
Game two was a pitchers battle as the three 'Jacket pitchers and RPI starter Ryan Yerby were terrific in the seven inning affair. Yerby ended up allowing just one hit, but that hit was enough as Matt Cappelletti launched a solo home run to left center in the sixth inning, powering the Yellowjackets to the 1-0 win. RPI, meanwhile, was limited to just five hits.
During the opener, Rochester used some wild RPI pitching to gain the lead in the second inning. Rochester plated three runs in the frame, despite not getting a hit. Engineer starter Chris Grome battled control issues to allow the runs, walking three batters and hitting three others to force in the runs.
Rochester's lead doubled to 6-0 over the next two innings. The third inning saw Josh Leadem rip a double just inside the third base line for an RBI double, scoring Luke Piontek. After stealing third, Leadem was driven in by a Cappelletti grounder.
The next inning, RPI loaded the bases with one out against Sparks. After a mound conference with head coach Joe Reina, Sparks dug in and fired off back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat and keep the Engineers off the board. Rochester added another run in the bottom of the frame when Piontek tripled in Harper Sy.
Sparks' momentum carried over to the top of the fifth as he struck out the side. The sophomore right hander ended his day with nine strikeouts over five scoreless innings. He walked two and allowed five hits, but improved to 6-1 on the season.
Cobert relieved for Rochester and finished off the game strong, throwing four innings of 2-hit ball, walking none while striking out four batters. He earned his first save of the season.
UR finished off the scoring with two runs in the sixth and three unearned runs in the eighth.
Piontek reached base safely all five times in game one, going 3-for-3 with a double, triple and three runs. He added two walks and two RBI. Leadem went 2-for-4 with a double, three runs and an RBI, while Sy also had two hits and three runs. Quincy Jaksch added two RBI's, drawing two bases loaded walks in the contest.
In game two, RPI threatened first by getting a runner in scoring position following a Hudson Livesey double to left in the fourth inning. UR's Cruser stood tall on the mound though, getting a strikeout of Jake Defayette to end the inning.
RPI's best scoring chance came in the fifth. With one out, Cole Paquin laced a line drive double to left, chasing Cruser from the game. Cooney relieved for Rochester and the next batter hit a bouncer back to the mound which was bobbled, allowing a second runner to reach safely.
Cooney regained his composure after the error though, getting a strikeout and a fielders choice groundout to end the inning, stranding two runners on base.
Rochester got just its second runner on base in the bottom of the fifth when Leadem drew a one out walk, but in an effort to steal second and get in scoring position, he overslid the bag and was tagged out. Yerby then got a pop out to keep the game scoreless.
Thomas Karpishin took over on the mound in the sixth for the Yellowjackets. The UR closer gave up a leadoff single to Aidan Hicks. After an out, Hicks stole second on a close play and advanced to third when Defayette single to right with two outs. On the base hit, Hicks was sent home trying to score, but a strong throw from Leadem in right field beat the runner to the plate and he was tagged out, ending the inning.
In the bottom of the inning, Yerby tossed his one bad pitch of the game to Cappelletti, Rochester's ninth place hitter in the lineup, and saw the 1-1 pitch sail over the left center field fence and land on Wilson Boulevard, giving Rochester the 1-0 lead.
Karpishin pitched around a two-out walk in the seventh and final inning, preserving the Rochester win and booking the Yellowjackets a trip to the league tournament for the fourth straight season dating back to 2018 (no tournament was held in 2020).
The Liberty League Tournament will be held at either Ithaca or Rochester next Thursday through Saturday. Ithaca, the top seed in the Liberty League West division will finish up its crossover series with Union on Sunday afternoon after the two teams split a doubleheader on Saturday.
If Ithaca wins, the Bombers will host the conference tournament by virtue of being the highest divisional seed remaining after East #1 Skidmore was eliminated on Saturday by Clarkson. Joining UR and Clarkson in the conference tournament will be local rival RIT who swept two games from East #2 seed Bard on Saturday as well.
Rochester will be rooting for Union to upset the Bombers tomorrow, giving the Yellowjackets the opportunity to host the league tournament as the highest seeded team among the qualifers.