Baseball | 4/30/2011 5:38:10 PM

Click here for game one stats

Click here for game two stats

PITTSFORD, NY - The RIT baseball team (9-14, 2-4 Empire 8) dropped a pair of tough contests at Empire 8 rival St. John Fisher (22-6, 10-2 Empire 8), 7-5 in game one, and 4-3 in eight innings in game two on a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon at Dugan Yard.

In game one, St. John Fisher jumped on RIT starter Mike Marsillo (Scottsdale, AZ/Desert Mountain) right away, scoring five times in the bottom of the first inning, snapping his 14-inning scoreless streak against Empire 8 opponents.  Steve Karynski hit a three-run homer in the inning.

RIT came right back with four runs in the second inning, three coming on a bases-clearing double by Brian Brazee (Auburn, NY/Auburn).  Fisher responded with two more runs in the bottom of the inning, while RIT cut the lead to 7-5 in the top of the third inning.

From there, Marsillo settled down and did allow a run the rest of the way, throwing  his sixth complete game of the year.  He allowed five hits, walked five, and struck out five.

Aaron Benton threw three innings of scoreless middle relief for Fisher.  Tim Sylvester struck out six Tigers over the final two innings to record his third save of the year.

Walt Roman (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport) tied a school record by getting hit by a pitch three times, while Ron Canestro (East Amherst, NY/Nichols) walked three times.  Kreag Bradley (Victor, NY/Victor) was 2-for-4 with a run batted in, while Brazee drove in a career-best four runs.

In game two, RIT jumped out to a 3-0 lead, as Roman hit a towering homer off the foul poul in left field, a two-run shot, while Canestro drove in a run with a groundout.

Fisher chipped away, scoring once in the third, once in the sixth, and once in the seventh to tie it.  The Cardinals won the game in the eighth on a sacrifice fly, after a walk, error, and intentional walk loaded the bases.

Ed Hughes (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) was 2-for-4 with a double and run scored.  Canestro got the start and pitched well, allowing six hits and an earned run in 5 1/3 innings.  Charles Yarrington (Rochester, NY/Pittsford Sutherland) took the loss throwing 2 1/3 of relief, allowing two hits and one earned run.

Sylvester earned the win, striking out the only batter he faced to end the top of the eighth inning.  Justin D'Amato allowed six hits, and two earned runs, while striking out six in 7 2/3 innings for the Cardinals.

The two teams meet once again on Sunday afternoon at Dugan Yard, with the first pitch coming at 1 p.m.