MYRTLE BEACH, SC – On day two of the season, the University of Rochester baseball team split a doubleheader with Catholic University of America at the Ripken Complex in Myrtle Beach.
The Cardinals (4-5) got a walk-off grand slam from Jesse Lacefield in game one for a 5-4 victory in the bottom of the seventh, with Rochester (3-1) responding in game two of the twinbill, earning a 7-4 win.
Game one featured just two runs in the first six innings of the contest. Tucker Alch went six strong for Catholic, allowing four hits, one run while striking out six. UR's first two pitchers were Colby Cruser and Thomas Karpishin who combined to allow one run on six hits with five strikeouts.
Offensively, UR got the scoring started in the first inning when Joseph Rende singled in leadoff hitter Aaron Whitley. Whitley showcased his exceptional speed reaching on an infield single and stealing a base before Rende's RBI hit to right.
Catholic scored in the second inning when Michael Doody drove a single to left center, plating Dante Pozzi.
The rest of the fireworks in game one came in the seventh. Catholic went to the bullpen and reliever Jack Zaffiro gave up a walk, single and another walk to load the bases with one out. Another pitching change preceded a two-run single by Whitley to give Rochester the 3-1 lead. Rende added a third run of the inning with a sacrifice fly and Rochester was up three heading to Catholic's final at-bat.
Rochester turned to Jake Larson for the save, but Catholic fought back against the grad student. A single and walk brought the tying run to the plate. Larson got back-to-back outs to get the Cardinals down to their final out.
Another walk loaded the bases ahead of Lacefield who entered the game in the top of the inning. The Catholic defensive sub stepped up and launched a home run over the right field fence for the win.
In game two, Rochester scored in five of the first six innings of the game to power to the victory.
The first inning saw Whitley steal home on an attempted double-steal with Cruser. In the second, Harper Sy hit his second homer in as many days, lifting a solo blast to left center.
CUA tied the score in the third with two runs, Matt Tesoriero had an RBI single and a UR error allowed an unearned run to cross the plate.
The Yellowjackets regained the lead in the bottom of the third though, getting RBI base hits to right field from Luke Piontek and Robert Constantine.
Catholic trimmed the lead to one in the fourth when Lacefield scored on a Matthew Fisher single to left, but Rochester again responded in the bottom of the frame when Matt Cappelletti stole all three bases after reaching via walk.
Two key insurance runs came across in the bottom of the sixth for Rochester when Luke Gregory reached on a fielding error, scoring Cappelletti and Dan Tirabassi.
The final score came after Peter Giombetti hit a solo home run in the top of the ninth.
On the mound, Jason Cobert earned the win for the Yellowjackets, tossing five frames while striking out two. He surrendered six hits and three runs (one earned). Aidan Cooney threw three scoreless innings in relief with three strikeouts while Justin Grossman finished off the win in the ninth.
Cruser was the lone Yellowjacket with two hits in game two, finishing 2-for-2 with a run. Cappelletti was 1-for-2, scored twice and stole three bases.
Rochester plays two more games on Monday, facing off against Kean University at 1:30 pm and Cairn University later on at 6 pm.