From University of Rochester Athletics
The University of Rochester completed a conference weekend against St. Lawrence University by splitting a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Towers Field.
UR took game one by a 6-2 score and then St. Lawrence rallied for an 8-7 victory in the second game of the day. Rochester sits at 10-8 overall and 5-3 in the Liberty League while the visiting Saints are 4-11 and 3-5 in conference.
The Yellowjackets got a solid pitching effort in the opening 7-inning game for the second straight day. Sophomore John Ghyzel tossed a complete game, allowed just 4 hits, 2 runs and no walks while striking out 8 batters. In his last two outings, Ghyzel has fanned 20 hitters.
UR's middle of the lineup provided the pop in the opener with 3-4-5 hitters Dan Warren, Nolan Schultz and Aiden Finch combining for eight of Rochester's 12 hits. Warren was 3-4 with a triple, RBI and a run. Schultz was also 3-4 with a double, triple, 2 runs and an RBI while Finch finished 2-4 with two doubles and an RBI.
Rochester was able to score single runs in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th innings to build a 3-0 lead after four. Matt Todd drove in Sam Steele for an unearned run in the second. Jake Meyerson provided an RBI groundout in the third while Warren drove in Grant Kilmer with a single to left in the fourth.
In the 6th inning, Schultz tripled to right center, plating Warren. The next batter Finch then doubled to left, scoring Schultz to build UR's lead to 5-0.
St. Lawrence tacked on two runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth on an Isaac Lewis double, but Rochester's Todd hit a sac fly to center in the seventh to respond.
Ghyzel ended the game in style with a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh, picking up his fourth win of the season.
Schultz's impressive day at the plate continued in the first frame of game two, as the senior clubbed a 2-run home run to left to put the Yellowjackets up early.
St. Lawrence pulled even after three with single runs in the second and third innings. Evan Reichel provided an RBI groundout in the second and Kyle MacDonald had one of his two hits in the game, singling in Lewis in the third.
Rochester pulled ahead by two again in the fourth inning after Schultz scampered home on a wild pitch and Ryan Spurr added a sacrifice fly to drive in Finch.
In the sixth, the 'Jacket lead was built to five after scoring three times in the top half. Matt Todd provided a key 2-RBI single with two outs and that was followed up by a Meyerson single to right center, making the score 7-2 UR.
St. Lawrence would score once in the sixth off a Beau Yaremko single, ending UR starter Dan Warren's day on the hill. The senior finished with 6 innings pitched, allowed 8 hits, 3 runs and 4 walks while striking out 3.
The Saints then got to the Rochester bullpen in the eighth, scoring four times to even the score at 7-7. Yaremko started the scoring with another RBI single. Lewis then stepped up with a 2-run double to left and that was followed by an infield RBI single from Adam Reichel.
In the ninth, St. Lawrence loaded the bases with one out looking for the walk off win. Reliever Grant Petito then got a strikeout for the key second out, but then threw a wild pitch which allowed Devin Robson to score the winning run for SLU.
Schultz ended game two 2-4 with a single and home run for a Saturday cycle spanning two games. He added two RBI and two runs in game two. Todd also was 2-4 with two RBI while Finch and Meyerson each went 2-5 at the plate in the nightcap.