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Baseball rallies from five-run deficit but cannot hold lead in extra-inning loss to St. John Fisher

By: Joe Venniro - Director of Sports Information

Baseball | 4/25/2013 8:47:00 PM

Box Score

ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT baseball team (10-15) rallied from a five-run deficit to hold a 7-5 ninth inning lead, but could not hang on, falling to cross town rival St. John Fisher (18-12) in 10 innings by a score of 12-8 from Tiger Stadium on Thursday afternoon.

St. John Fisher scored a run without a hit in the second inning to go up 1-0, then tacked on three runs in the fourth, and one in the sixth to take a 5-0 lead St. John Fisher starting pitcher Thomas Dybas was dominant for five innings, allowing just one hit, but the Tigers jumped on him in the sixth, scoring four times to cut the Cardinals lead to 5-4.

In the sixth, Tyler Ramotar (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) walked and moved to third on a single by CJ Bolorin (Rochester, NY/Rush-Henrietta). Walt Roman (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport) reached on an error, which scored Ramotar. Ronnie Canestro (East Amherst, NY/Nichols) reached on a fielder's choice that scored Bolorin to make it 5-2 Fisher.  After Canestro stole second, Skip Flanagan (Framingham, MA/Bishop Feehan) blooped a single into left field to drive in the RIT second baseman and cut the Fisher lead to 5-3.  With two outs, Brian Brazee (Auburn, NY/Auburn) singled up the middle to score Flanagan for RIT's fourth run of the inning.

RIT tied the game in the seventh, as Tyler Ramotar (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) drew a walk and advanced to second on a ground out. With two outs, Walt Roman (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport) hit a sky-high pop up to third baseman Cody Witorski that was dropped, allowing Ramotar to score and even the contest at 5-5.

Fisher had a runner on in the eighth, but Brian Sheridan (Trumansburg, NY/Trumansburg) got Shane Barley to hit a hard grounder right to Canestro, who started the 4-6-3 double play to get RIT out of the inning.

In the bottom half of the inning, Flanagan reached on a single and stole second with two outs. Brett Kajganich (North Royalton, OH/Holy Name) then hit a sinking liner that just eluded an excellent diving effort from Barley to give RIT its first lead, 6-5. Kajganich then moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a rocket from Greg Schworm (Rochester, NY/Churchville Chili) that tipped off the shortstop's glove as he was ranging towards the middle.

In the ninth, RIT brought in closer Seth Noreman (Old Bethpage, NY/Old Bethpage-JFK), who had not allowed a run in 2013. Unfortunately for RIT, that would change, as Brad Rush would draw a walk, and move to second on a single by Sean Osterman. A sacrifice bunt would move both runners up. Noreman would uncork a wild pitch that scored Rush and Fisher would tie the game right after, as pinch hitter Ben Webb looped a triple down the left field line. Webb would then score on a wild pitch to give Fisher an 8-7 lead.

RIT would once again tie the game in the ninth and second the game to extra innings. With two outs, Canestro singled to left center and stole his second base of the game. Flanagan hit a harmless grounder to first that looked to end the game, but nicked off the glove of Brad Rush, scoring Canestro.

The Cardinals would come right back and tack on four runs in the 10th inning to get the win. Osterman singled in pinch runner Tom Kline to make it 9-8. After a RIT error with the bases loaded made it 10-8, Mike Roman singled up the middle with the bases loaded to drive in a pair of runs and complete the scoring.

St. John Fisher out-hit RIT 15-8, but left 13 runners on base, and committed four errors. Osterman was 4-for-6 with three runs scored, while Roman was 3-for-6 with three RBI's. On the mound, Shawn Corrigan got the win, allowing an unearned run in 1 1/3 innings. Dybas allowed four hits and three earned runs, while striking out five in 5 2/3 innings.

Flanagan was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and a run batted in for the Tigers. Bolorin had RIT's first two hits of the day, while Ramotar and Canestro scored two runs each. Canestro also stole two bases.

RIT used eight different pitchers in the loss. Ethan Humbert (Rose, NY/North Rose-Wolcott) started and pitched a scoreless first inning. Conor Herlihy (Geneseo, NY/Geneseo) and Brian Sheridan (Trumansburg, NY/Trumansburg) both threw two scoreless innings of relief apiece. Noreman suffered his first loss of the season.

The Tigers return to action on Saturday, with a home doubleheader against Vassar that gets underway at 1 p.m. RIT will honor seniors Greg Schworm (Rochester, NY/Churchville Chili) and Brian Brazee (Auburn, NY/Auburn) before the doubleheader.