PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – It was an offensive slugfest between two of the best offenses in Division III, with visiting St. John Fisher holding off Rochester 15-13 in a non-league matchup on Wednesday evening at UR's Towers Field.

The loss snaps UR's four game winning streak and moves the Yellowjackets to 20-8 overall on the season. St. John Fisher improves to 25-5 on the year.

Each team entered this one ranked in the top-5 in the New York regional rankings released earlier on Wednesday by the NCAA. UR checked in at #3 in the region, while the Cardinals were #5.

Rochester struck for four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Steve Pickering had the big hit, tripling to center, driving in two. Josh Leadem followed with an RBI single and Jacob Matzat doubled in a run, putting the Yellowjackets up early.

SJFC's Adam Zebrowski clobbered a solo home run in the second, the first of two on the night for the Cardinals designated hitter, but UR's John Moses answered with an RBI base hit in the bottom of the frame. After two, Rochester led 5-1.

The Cardinals evened the score with four runs in the third, two on an single up the middle from Zebrowski, but again the Yellowjackets answered, with a Matzat groundout putting UR ahead 6-5 after three.

Zebrowski's second home run of the game, his 14th of the season tied the game in the fifth, 6-6.

Brian McKinsey recorded an RBI groundout in the bottom of the inning, and the Yellowjackets followed with another run in the sixth after a Pickering single, to go up 8-6 through two-thirds of the game.

The Cardinals exploded for seven runs in the seventh inning though, taking the lead for good. Noah Campanelli provided the big hit for the visitors, launching a two-run homer to left. James Murphy added a two-run double and Michael Beimel had a two-run single.

In the eighth, two more runs built the Cardinal lead to 15-8. Luke Duffy tripled to score a run and came in on a James Ward sacrifice fly.

Matzat's third hit of the night brought in a run in the bottom of the inning and McKinsey laced a single to left to score a run as well, as the Yellowjackets refused to go down without a fight.

After a 1-2-3 top of the ninth from reliever Thomas Karpishin, Rochester tried to mount a rally in its last ups.

With one out, the Yellowjackets drew four straight walks to score a run and bring the tying run to the plate. A Leadem fielders choice drove in a run, but recorded a big second out of the inning.

The next hitter Matzat kept the game alive for Rochester though, lining a single to center, his fourth hit and fourth RBI of the night.

After pinch runner Luke Gregory advanced to second base on a wild pitch to put the tying run in scoring position, Cardinal reliever Rylan Baker got McKinsey to ground out back to the pitcher to end the game.

Matzat led the Yellowjackets going 4-for-6 with a double and four RBI. Leadem was 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and three runs scored.

Pickering finished 2-for-5 with a triple, three RBI and two runs, while Moses added a 2-for-5 day with a double and two runs. Aaron Whitley also finished 2-for-5 with a double, run and two steals.

For the Cardinals, Zebrowski was 3-for-4 with four RBI, three runs and two home runs. Beimel was 2-for-5 with three RBI and a run, while Campanelli finished 1-for-4, but had a home run, two RBI and two runs.

On the mound, both teams used a handful of pitchers on what was a bullpen day for both squads. Rochester's Nolan Sparks and Spencer Rojahn each pitched two innings and gave up one run. Thomas Blaydes, Hank Powers and Karpishin threw scoreless innings for the 'Jackets. Alex Muchnick was tagged with the loss for Rochester

St. John Fisher's Michael Poirier picked up the win as the third pitcher of the game for the Cardinals. He struck out three batters in two innings. Logan Persse tossed a scoreless frame for SJFC and Baker recorded the final two outs to earn his first save.

Up next for Rochester is a home-and-home weekend series against Ithaca to close the regular season. That matchup will decide the top seed for the Liberty League conference tournament, as UR and Ithaca currently hold down the top two spots in the league standings.