Baseball | 4/6/2013 4:17:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

POTSDAM, NY - The RIT baseball team (6-5, 1-3 Liberty League) split a road doubleheader at Liberty League foe Clarkson University (7-9, 4-4 Liberty League) at Jack Phillips Stadium at Snell Field on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers lost game one by a score of 3-2, then rode a brilliant pitching performance from Michael Burns (Rochester, NY/Rush-Henrietta) to win game two, 7-0.

Burns was the story in game two, throwing just 79 pitches, allowing just six hits, while walking zero to earn his first collegiate shutout. He faced just four batters over the minimum, while striking out two to earn his third win of the season. Burns recorded first pitch outs 10 times during the game.

RIT used stellar defense to secure the shutout and the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Leading 1-0, RIT used a huge outfield assist from  relay from right fielder Brett Kajganich (North Royalton, OH/Holy Name) to keep the lead. With no outs in the sixth, and David Wixted on second, John Coleman lined a single to right field. Kagjanich came up throwing and made a perfect throw to the plate to cut down Wixted.

RIT responded in the top of the seventh inning, scoring six times to put the game away. With one out, Skip Flanagan (Framingham, MA/Bishop Feehan) singled and moved to third on a double by Brian Brazee (Auburn, NY/Auburn). After Ronnie Canestro (East Amherst, NY/Nichols) was intentionally walked to load the bases, Walt Roman (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport) hit an infield single that scored Flanagan. Brazee also scored on an error on the play to make it 3-0. Taylor Hogan (Rochester, NY/Brighton) singled in Canestro to make it 4-0. Two batters later, Roman scored on a wild pitch, then CJ Bolorin (Rochester, NY/Rush-Henrietta) reached on an error, which scored two more runs and put the game away.

Burns retired eight of the next nine batters and had that runner erased on a double play to secure the shutout win.

Jaren Bell (Rochester, NY/Brighton) was 3-for-5 for the Tigers, while Flanagan, Hogan, and Roman had two hits apiece. Roman was also hit by a pitch for the 50th time in his collegiate career.

In game one, RIT pitcher Ethan Humbert (Rose, NY/North Rose-Wolcott) hurled a complete game, but was unable to receive any run support. He allowed just four hits and one earned run, while not walking any batters, and striking out two, while falling to 1-2 on the season.

Clarkson scored a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning, then scored the eventual game-winning run in the third inning, as Wixted led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, stole third, and beat the throw home on a ground ball hit by Greg Jasek.

RIT clawed back into the game in the top of the fourth inning, as Flanagan led off the inning with a double and Roman drew a walk. Brazee reached on an error to load the bases with no outs. Canestro drove in Flanagan and Roman with a single to right field, making the score 3-2. Unfortunately for the Tigers, they could not push the tying run across in the inning, as a strike out and double play squashed the rally.

From there, Clarkson pitcher Jarrod Mattingly pitched the final three innings and shut the door on the Tigers, allowing just a single hit and did not permit a rally in earning his first win of the season.

Tyler Ramotar (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) and Kajganich also had hits for RIT in game one.

The two teams will complete its season series with a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon that gets underway at 12 p.m.