From University of Rochester Athletics
In a way, this was probably the perfect ending to the game. Not a run in the last of the ninth to snap a 9-9 tie and give Rochester a 10-9 victory over NYU. But the way the run was scored.
Say this when the Yellowjackets and Violets get together on the diamond: They provide plenty of offense – some of it good, some of it semi-tainted, but runs are runs. And those win ballgames.
With the victory, Rochester evens its record at 3-3. NYU slipped to 2-4 at the University Athletic Association championships and 4-7 overall. Earlier this week, Rochester posted a 12-8 victory over NYU to open its season.
The winning run was scored on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Matt Todd. It was one of five walks that Todd drew. Eight Rochester players got a free pass. They totaled 14 in all.
Rochester committed four errors (three of NYU's runs were unearned) and NYU kicked the ball away twice. There were 21 hits – only three went for extra bases. Five players were hit by a pitch and there were 17 stolen bases – 10 by NYU, seven by Rochester.
NYU used five pitchers. Rochester used four. The victory went to Evan Janifer (1-1). He relieved Michael Lee in the top of the eighth. Lee had the only three-up, three-down inning of all the hurlers for either team. He was perfect in the sixth, coming on for Grant Petito. At the time, Rochester trailed, 8-7, and that's with the Yellowjackets scoring at least one run in each of the first five innings.
Lee retired the first four men he saw, then promptly walked NYU's eighth-and-ninth place hitters. He got out of it by getting Jack Walter to bounce into a 4-6-3 double play.
Rochester fought its way back in front in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Sam Steele reached on a dribbler in front of the plate. After Greg Obregon popped out, Todd drew his fourth walk of the afternoon. Pete Carrier lined a double to right, scoring both men. Carrier was thrown out at third, trying to stretch it into a triple.
NYU tied it at 9-9 almost immediately. Ryan McLaughlin was hit by a pitrch, then stole second. A wild pitch moved him to third. Jake Smith walked and stole second, Adrian Spitz, he of the 3-5 bat (Spitz and Rochester's Dan Warren were the only players with three hits in the game) singled up the middle. McLaughlin scored. Smith rounded third and chose to retreat when Todd's throw went home. Spitz was trapped going back to second. Aiden Finch threw to Warren who applied the tag. Lee was replaced by Janifer who struck out Colman Hendershot and induced C.J. Picerni to ground out to Steele unassisted at first base.
Julian Henry, the fifth NYU hurler, came in for the bottom of the eight. With one down, Warren doubled down the left field line and moved to third on a wild pitch. Finch flied to right. Warren started home, retreated, and was thrown out, 9-2-5, for an inning-ending DP.
Both teams threatened in the ninth. NYU had two men thrown out at home plate. A walk, a single, and a hit batsman loaded the bases for NYU with Walter, 2-4 at that point, coming to the plate. He bounced to Steele who threw home for the force on Jonathan Iaione. McLaughlin hit back to the box and Janifer's throw home forced Scott Hilbrandt for the second out. Smith flied to right, ending the inning.
In the ninth, Grant Kilmer walked. He was bunted to second by Steve Eychner. Steele singled up the middle with Kilmer stopping at third. Pinch-hitter Mark Davis was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. That brought up Todd who drew a six-pitch walk to win it (called strike, ball, foul ball, then three straight out of the zone).