From University of Rochester Athletics
The University of Rochester baseball team rallied in game two to split a Liberty League doubleheader with cross-town rival RIT on Saturday afternoon at Towers Field.
UR won the nightcap 6-5, overcoming a 5-1 deficit after the visiting Tigers took the opener 5-0 behind a strong pitching performance from starter Brian Reed.
The win keeps Rochester (18-15, 11-7 Liberty League) one game back in the conference standings behind Clarkson and tied with Union and Vassar for second place as all four teams atop the standings split doubleheaders on Saturday. RIT moves to 14-17 overall and 8-10 in conference play.
RIT won game one behind the bat of junior Will Gorman and the pitching arm of starting pitcher Brian Reed. Reed tossed a complete game 4-hit shutout, allowing just one walk and striking out six 'Jacket batters. Gorman was 3-3 at the plate with four RBI, including a bases clearing double that broke open a 2-0 game in the top of the 5th inning.
Rochester starter Evan Janifer took the loss, allowing 8 hits, 5 runs (2 earned) over five innings on the mound. He struck out two and walked none. Freshman reliever Tyler McConway completed the game tossing two innings, allowing two hits while striking out one.
In game two, RIT scored in the first inning with a Gorman RBI ground out to lead 1-0. In the fourth, the Tigers added two more on a sacrifice fly by Daniel Zeglen and a fielding error by Rochester to build a 3-0 advantage.
Rochester's Pete Carrier drove in the first run of the day for the Yellowjackets in the fifth, singling down the right field line, plating Steve Eychner.
RIT would answer with two more runs in the top of the 7th to go ahead 5-1 on a 2-run single by Jason Schulz, chasing Rochester starter Dan Warren from the game. Overall, Warren went 6.2 innings, allowed 8 hits, 5 runs (3 earned), walked 2 and struck out 3 in a no-decision.
UR scored four in the bottom of the frame though as RIT starting pitcher Rory Little began to tire. Senior Matt Todd led off the inning with a double to left center. After a ground out moved him to third, freshman Aiden Finch doubled down the line in left to make it 5-2 RIT. After an RIT error put runners on the corners, Carrier grounded to first scoring Finch.
Ryan Spurr then singled for UR again giving the Yellowjackets first and third with two outs. Little then uncorked two wild pitches in an at bat to Jake Meyerson allowing another run to score and Spurr to move to third. After Meyerson walked and stole second, UR's Owen Gabbey singled to center, scoring the tying run. Meyerson, the potential go-ahead run to then thrown out trying to score from second by RIT center fielder Dom Scialabba.
After the Tigers got set down 1-2-3 in the eighth inning, freshman Grant Kilmer crushed the second pitch from new RIT pitcher Jameson Moran over the scoreboard in left field to give UR the 6-5 lead.
In the ninth, sophomore Luke Meyerson set down the Tigers again in order, sealing the comeback win for Rochester. Overall, Meyerson picked up his fourth win of the season, tossing 2.1 perfect innings of relief with two strikeouts.
Game two saw Eychner go 3-5 at the plate with a run scored and increased his team leading batting average to .423 on the year. Carrier was 2-5 with two RBI while Schultz, Jake Meyerson and Kilmer each recorded two hits.