CLINTON, NY – The University of Rochester baseball team scored five runs in the third inning, three coming on a Colby Cruser home run, to snag the lead and eventually earn an 11-4 non-conference win over Hamilton College on Tuesday afternoon at the Loop Road Athletic Complex.
Overall, Rochester (15-14) pounded out 12 hits in the win, getting three from Josh Leadem and two each from Cruser, Luke Gregory and Sammy Besztery. Cruser finished with a season-high four RBI, while Besztery drove in three, including two on a double in the big third inning. Leadem and Gregory each had a double and scored two runs.
On the mound, Matthew Grier got the start for the 'Jackets, with the junior going three innings. He allowed 3 hits, 3 runs and 3 walks while striking out 4. Thomas Blaydes took over and was terrific, firing three scoreless innings allowing just one hit and one walk. He whiffed three batters.
Zach Herzog, Magnus Sivertson and Leadem closed out the victory each throwing one inning on the mound.
Hamilton (12-13) posted the early lead with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Jack Griffin singled in Taylor Kaufman with a single and later scored on an errant throw after a stolen base attempt.
In the second, Rochester's Besztery picked up his first RBI of the night singling to left center, scoring Ethan Jaquette who reached on a Hamilton error. Besztery's hit extended the first-year's hitting streak to 14 games.
The Continentals tacked on another run in the second to regain the two-run cushion. Greg Kopp picked up an RBI on a ground out, plating Jackson Johns.
A leadoff walk followed by a fielders choice ground out started UR's half of the third. Leadme laced a single to left before Cruser crushed a ball over the right field fence for a 3-run homer, his second long ball of the season.
UR's big inning continued with Gregory getting hit by a pitch and Dan Tirabassi singling up the middle. After a ground out and a pitching change, Besztery ripped a double to center to plate two more, putting Rochester head 6-3.
A solid effort from Grier in the shutdown inning featured two strikeouts. Rochester would tack on another run in the fourth, with Jackson Reed scampering home on a wild pitch.
Rochester extended the margin in the sixth when Jos Siciliano drove in Henry Jamieson with a ground out.
During Hamilton's half of the inning, Blaydes closed out his solid outing by striking out the side, all via swing-and-miss, on 14 pitches.
In the ninth, Rochester picked up some insurance runs. Cruser reached on a swinging bunt and earned an RBI with some heads up baserunning by Leadem who was able to score from second after a double. A few batters later, Jaquette found a gap in right center, driving in two.
Hamilton scraped one across in the bottom of the ninth to reach the final score of 11-4.
It was a bullpen day for the Continentals who used a total of ten pitchers in the game. Henry Tyler picked up the loss, allowing all five runs in UR's big inning. Offensively, Kaufman and Charlie O'Brien paced Hamilton with two hits apiece.
Up next, Rochester plays a home-and-home Liberty League series with crosstown rival RIT on Friday and Saturday. UR plays at RIT in a single game Friday before hosting the Tigers in a doubleheader Saturday for Senior Day.