KANNAPOLIS, N.C. - The Washington and Lee University baseball team's ferocious comeback falls short in the second game of the D3 Showcase as they fell to Rochester, 8-7, in extra innings on Saturday evening.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Generals (2-4) struck first as sophomore Nick Lagges homered to right center field in the opening frame.
- Rochester (2-0) plated the equalizer in the top of the second inning. Designated hitter Alexander Gonzalo sent a triple deep into right field to score Henry Jamieson.
- After a scoreless third inning, Gonzalo batted-in the go-ahead run, a sacrifice fly into left field to score Josh Leadem. Three batters later, Quincy Jaksch singled through the left side to score Luke Blozy.
- Rochester plated another run in the top of the fifth after a pair of errors plagued the Blue and White's infield on a sacrificed bunt.
- The Generals left seven runners stranded between the bottom of the first and ninth inning.
- In the bottom of the ninth, Andrew Thornton started off the frame with a double into left field and advanced to third base off a fielders choice. The rookie then scored after Jonathan French grounded out.
- With Ethan Zulueta on base with two outs, Jacob Belbot was called to the plate to pinch hit for John Turner and homered. The dinger to right field scored the pair of runs and tied the game up at 4-4 to push the game into extra innings.
- In the tenth frame, the Yellowjackets plated four additional runs on two hits and a W&L error.
- Trailing 8-4, the Generals were able to plate three in the bottom of the 10th and came up one run short. Drew Larsen and Campbell Charneco drew walks as the first two batters to the plate. Thorton doubled into left center to score Larsen and move Charneco to third base. Jaden Keuhner drove in Charneco from third base with a grounder to first base.
- With two outs and the tying run at the plate, French singled through the left side to score Thornton but was stranded after a ground out ended the game.
W&L GAME NOTES
- John Benner put together five innings of work and allowed four runs (three earned runs) on six hits and two walks. Benner recorded seven ground-outs and four strikeouts in 25 batters-faced.
- Ashwin Suresh pitched four scoreless innings of relief. Suresh faced 16 batters and recorded five strikeouts.
- Andrew Flood (0-1) took the loss with one inning of work in the 10th.
- Andrew Thornton (2-for-4) scored two runs and an RBI for the strongest day at the plate for W&L.
- Larsen drew a pair of walks and scored a run with one hit on three at-bats.
ROCHESTER GAME NOTES
- Mark Aaronson (2-0) was awarded the win for the Yellowjackets.
- Luke Gregory reached base four times for the victors.
- Leadem and Jaksch each recorded two hits and Jackson Reed led the team in runs with two.
UP NEXT
- The Generals take on the Susquehanna University tomorrow, Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. at the Atrium Health Ballpark.