Baseball | 3/12/2013 5:25:00 PM

Box Score

ROCHESTER, NY - Junior MIchael Burns (Rochester, NY/Rush-Henrietta) pitched 6 1/3 innings of shutout ball, spearheading a stout pitching effort, as the RIT baseball team (5-2) hung on to defeat previously unbeaten The College at Brockport (4-1) by a score of 3-2 at Monroe Community College on a cold, windy, and cloudy Tuesday afternoon.

Burns hit leadoff batter Kyle Tracy with the first pitch of the game, then settled in beautifully, picking off the runner after a sacrifice bunt, en route to retiring the next six batters. In the fifth inning, Brockport threatened getting a runner to third with one out, but Burns struck out the next two batters to keep the shutout.

In the sixth, Burns received great defensive support from third baseman Walt Roman (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport), who made a fully extended diving grab in foul play of an attempted bunt by Tracy.

RIT scored all three of its runs in the third inning. Greg Schworm (Rochester, NY/Churchville Chili) reached on an error and then stole second base. After a strikeout, Brett Kagjanich walked. CJ Bolorin (Rochester, NY/Rush-Henrietta) drilled a double to left center field, scoring Schworm to make it 1-0 Tigers. The next batter, Skip Flanagan (Framingham, MA/Bishop Feehan) beat out an infield single, scoring Kagjanich to drive in his team best 10th run of the season and give the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Roman then drove in Bolorin with a groundout, giving RIT a 3-0 lead.

After a one-out single by Jake Coleman in the seventh, Burns was lifted for reliever Rory Little (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake). Little got out of the inning with a strikeout and foul out behind the plate to Schworm. In the eighth, Little worked around a two-out double by Mike Weakley to preserve the shutout.

Brockport made it interesting in the top of the ninth off of RIT closer Tyler Leichtenberger (Warren, PA/Warren Area), as with one out, Dan Hurlimann reached on an error. After a single by Coleman, Roman and Flanagan were forced to make a perfect play to retire Mike Gianni. Gianni's little dribbler to third was handled by Roman and on the run, the RIT's third baseman's throw bounced, but Flanagan was able to make the scoop just before Gianni hit the bag for the second out.

Pinch-hitter Colin Grande ripped a single to right center, plating Hurlimann and Coleman with a pair of unearned runs to make it 3-2 RIT. Leichtenberger uncorked a wild pitch to put Grande in scoring position, but got out of the jam, getting Wesley Burghardt on a ground out to Roman for his first save of the season and eighth of his career.

Flanagan was 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, as RIT recorded just four hits. Brian Brazee (Auburn, NY/Auburn) also singled for the Tigers, while Schworm stole two bases.

Burns allowed just four hits in 6 1/3 innings to record his second win of the season.

Coleman took the loss for the Golden Eagles, allowing two hits and one earned run, while striking out seven in five innings. Zack Lander threw three innings of scoreless relief, walking three, while striking out one.

The Tigers return to action on Wednesday, March 20, with a single game against Keuka at 2 p.m. The game will either be played at Tiger Stadium or Monroe Community College, depending on the weather.