HENREITTA, NY – The University of Rochester baseball team picked up two wins to open Liberty League conference play, defeating host RIT 4-2 and 14-9 in the doubleheader sweep on Friday afternoon at Tiger Stadium.
Rochester moves to 8-3 overall and 2-0 in the Liberty League with the victories. RIT falls to 4-7 and 0-2 in conference.
In game one, UR's Jon Turk went the distance on the mound. The senior co-captain tossed a full seven innings and settled in after allowing RIT's only two runs in the first frame. He finished allowing 7 hits and 2 runs while walking 2 and striking out 4.
Rochester actually was able to grab the early lead with a sacrifice fly from Jackson Reed in the top of the first.
RIT plated its two runs in the bottom of the inning after Turk recorded the first two outs of the inning. A walk, single and walk loaded the bases and when Nate Kistler reached on an infield single, two runs scampered home.
The Yellowjackets got those two runs right back and regained the lead after Joseph Rende doubled in the top of the second, scoring Josh Leadem and Harper Sy.
In the fifth, Reed singled to left, scoring Steve Pickering to complete the scoring in game one.
Harper Sy and Leadem each finished with multiple hits in game one as UR was held to only six by RIT hurlers Jack Leahey and Trevor Povlock. Leahey took the looks giving up four runs in six innings while striking out five.
Game two featured a couple of big innings that made the difference for Rochester. After trailing 3-0 after two innings, the Yellowjackets put up five in the top of the third to surge ahead.
Rende opened UR's scoring with a squeeze bunt and Pickering followed with an RBI single. Sy then stepped to the plate and launched a three-run homer to left center to give Rochester the lead.
RIT plated one in the bottom of the inning, but UR still led 5-4.
In the sixth inning, Rende singled up the middle, driving in Leadem who reached on a single and stole second.
Rochester plated three in the seventh, two coming after the Tiger defense botched sacrifice bunt attempt from Reed. Luke Piontek then drove in Reed with a single to right, pushing UR's lead to 9-4.
The Tigers chipped away with two runs in the seventh, on thanks to a UR fielding error on a Luke McNamara and the second on a bases loaded walk drawn by John Bagley.
The next inning, RIT plated three more and tied the score at 9-9. Chris Reilly had an RBI single, Ian Libby provided a sacrifice fly and Kistler doubled in a run to erase UR's lead.
RIT's momentum did not last though, as Rochester batted around in the top of the ninth, scoring five runs to reach the end margin of 14-9.
Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out. After a strikeout, John Moses laced a pinch-hit double down the right field line to score two. The next batter, Aaron Whitley tripled to right to score two more. Whitley stole home shortly after to complete UR's big inning.
Sy again had a big game in the nightcap, going 3-for-4 with a double, home run and three RBI while also scoring twice. Pickering was 2-for-4 with two runs and Leadem added his second multi-hit game of the day. Both Whitley, Rende and Moses finished with two RBI.
On the mound, UR's Spencer Rojahn earned the win, tossing two scoreless innings in relief while striking out three. Nolan Sparks got the start and gave up four runs in 3.1 innings while striking out four.
The same two teams complete the home-and-home weekend at UR's Towers Field on Saturday. The doubleheader starts at 1 pm.