From University of Rochester Athletics
The University of Rochester baseball team completed a strong Liberty League weekend with a sweep of RIT on Sunday afternoon at UR's Towers Field.
Rochester (20-15, 13-7) captured a tight game one 3-2 and then used a 7-run sixth inning in game two to win 11-8 over the Tigers (14-19, 8-12). The doubleheader was originally scheduled to be played at RIT a few miles from the UR campus, but the overnight rains forced the games to be moved to Rochester's turf surface.
In the opener, the Yellowjackets rode the arm of starting pitcher John Ghyzel to victory. The sophomore right hander improved to 6-0 on the season tossing a 7-inning complete game, allowing 5 hits, 2 runs while striking out 4.
The Tigers, batting as the home team, struck first in game one with a solo home run from Mike Myers in the bottom of the third.
Rochester responded in the fourth with a Dan Warren single to center, scoring freshman Aiden Finch to tie the game at 1-1. The next inning, the Yellowjackets built a 3-1 lead after senior Matt Todd scored on a balk and then Nolan Schultz singled to center scoring Finch again.
Finch ended the game 2-3 with two runs scored while Todd was 2-4 with a double and a run scored.
RIT scraped across another run in the sixth, tightening the gap on a Will Gorman single to right, scoring teammate Jason Schulz.
For the Tigers, Brandon Cohall took the loss, scattering 8 hits, 3 runs while striking out 7 and walking 1.
In the nightcap, RIT jumped out to an early lead, scoring three runs in the first inning. Gorman started the scoring with a triple to right. Taylor Hogan then reached on a fielding error allowing Gorman to score and Daniel Zeglen ended the inning with an RBI single to center.
The teams traded runs in the second and the fifth innings, seeing RIT have a 5-2 lead after five.
Rochester then exploded for seven runs in the top of the sixth by sending 12 batters to the plate. UR slugged four doubles in the inning and benefitted from three hit batters as the rainy conditions made the ball a bit slick for the RIT hurlers. Warren, Schultz and Steve Eychner each had 2-run doubles and Grant Kilmer added a sac fly.
The big inning allowed UR starter Jack Denzer a shot at the win which he would earn. Overall, the freshman tossed 5 innings, allowed 8 hits, 5 runs (3 earned) while walking 2 and striking out 5.
RIT would add a run in the seventh inning on a groundout and had the tying run on base in the bottom of the 8th, getting to the Yellowjacket bullpen. Sophomore Luke Meyerson then came in and got two huge outs with the bases loaded to keep his team with a 10-7 lead heading to the last inning.
Meyerson picked up his second save of the season and ended his solid weekend following earning the win in game two against the Tigers on Saturday.
In game two, Warren was 3-4 with a double, 2 RBI and 3 runs scored. Eychner recorded four hits, including two doubles, driving in two and scoring a run. Kilmer added a 2-4 game, driving in three and clocking his second home run in as many days, again clearing the scoreboard in left field.
RIT's Zach Zabel was 4-5 with a double, 2 runs and a RBI to lead the Tigers. Gorman, Hogan and Zeglen each added two hits while Gorman and Dom Scialabba drove in two runs each.