GENEVA, NY – The University of Rochester baseball team earned its second straight Liberty League series win to open the conference season on Saturday, splitting a doubleheader with host Hobart College at McDonough Park.

The Yellowjackets opened with a loss, falling 5-4 to the Statesmen, before rebounding with a 6-2 victory in the series finale, posting a 2-1 record on the weekend.

Overall, UR now sits at 9-11 overall and 4-2 in conference play. Hobart is 6-11 and 1-4 in the Liberty League.

Up next, Rochester remains on the road, getting nearly a week off before playing a 3-game series at Clarkson University next Friday and Saturday.

Game 1: Hobart 5, Rochester 4

After seeing the Yellowjackets tie the game with a single run in the top of the eighth inning, host Hobart earned the victory by pushing across the game winning run in the bottom of the frame on a Gavin Brignall single.

Both teams scored in the opening inning of the tidy two-hour contest. Colby Cruser lifted a sacrifice fly to right to score leadoff hitter Josh Leadem who reached on a Hobart fielding miscue.

In the bottom of the inning, Hobart got that run right back off of starter Nolan Sparks, with Nate Johnson driving in a run on a fielders choice ground out.

Rochester quickly regained the lead with two runs in the second. Sammy Besztery singled to center to score Quincy Jaksch, with Luke Blozy following with an RBI groundout to score Dan Tirabassi. Another Hobart error led to one of the two runs being unearned.

The score remained 3-1 until the bottom of the fifth when Hobart was able to take the lead. Sean Garvin singled up the middle with the bases loaded to tie the game and two batters later, Will Jones was hit by a pitch, forcing in the go-ahead run.

UR's Alec Ellison was able to tie the game back up at 4-4 in the eighth, doubling down the right field line, plating Cruser.

But Hobart's Brignall provided the game-winning hit for the Statesmen during Hobart's next time up.

UR used two pitchers in the contest, with Sparks going the first 4.1 innings while Magnus Sivertson finished off the final 3.2 innings. Sparks allowed 3 hits, 4 runs (3 earned) and 3 walks while striking out 6. Sivertson took the loss, surrendering 1 hit, 1 run (0 earned), 1 walk and 2 hit batters with 2 strikeouts.

At the plate, Besztery was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Cruser finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.

Game 2: Rochester 6, Hobart 2

A quartet of Yellowjacket pitchers combined to hold a UR opponent to its fewest runs of the season, allowing only two runs in the series-clinching win. Additionally, all seven hits for Hobart were singles, helping UR limit the Statesmen offensive output.

Dillon Bevan got the start for the 'Jackets and went 4.1 innings, allowing an unearned run and five hits during hits outing. The senior walked one and struck out four.

Cruser pitched two-thirds of a frame and struck out one, earning the win, while Mark Aaronson and Jack Subramanian each tossed two innings of work. Aaronson didn't allow a hit while Subramanian allowed just two hits and one run. Both walked two and struck out one batter.

Rochester jumped on top in the top of the second inning. Tirabassi lifted a sacrifice fly to right to score Dylan Stezzi, while Matt Rieth put UR up 2-0 with an RBI double.

A throwing error by the Yellowjackets allowed an unearned run to score in the fourth, trimming the advantage to just one.

UR's lead was built back up quickly, as the 'Jackets scored two runs in the next half inning. Stezzi ripped a single to right to score Ellison, while Tirabassi picked up another RBI with a base hit through the right side.

Ellison's lone hit of game two drove in Nathan Carptenter-Holmes in the eighth, making Rochester's lead five runs, leading 6-1.

Hobart finished up the scoring in game two when Nate Garrett provided a single, one of his three hits, to score Jones.

Stezzi and Tirabassi each finished 2-for-4 for Rochester at the plate. Stezzi scored three times and added an RBI, while Tirabassi drove in two.

Leadem stole two bases in the nightcap for Rochester, moving into second place all-time in team history with 76 throughout his four-year career.