Baseball | 3/25/2014 7:30:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

AUBURNDALE, FL – The RIT baseball team (4-3) concluded play at the RussMatt Invitational in Central Florida by winning a pair of games over Thomas College of Maine (0-4) at Lake Myrtle Park on a breezy Wednesday afternoon. RIT won game one by a score of 8-1 and took game two, 9-4. RIT ends the seven-game Florida trip with a 4-3 mark.

In game one, RIT starting pitcher Conor Herlihy (Geneseo, NY/Geneseo) threw his first collegiate complete game, and RIT's first of the 2014 season. He needed just 95 pitches to complete the gem, allowing five hits, and one run, while walking three batters, and striking out one. He faced 29 batters, getting 14 ground ball outs. Herlihy has allowed just one run over his first 10 innings pitched this season.

RIT scored a run in the first inning, as Ronnie Canestro (East Amherst, NY/Nichols) walked, stole second, then stole third and scored on an overthrow by the catcher into left field. In the third, RIT took command, scoring five times to go up 6-0 on the strength of five singles, a walk, and an error.

Thomas would get its lone run in the bottom of the third inning, but Herlihy would shut the door the rest of the way. RIT tacked on two more runs in the seventh inning.

Walt Roman (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport) and CJ Bolorin (Rochester, NY/Rush-Henrietta) were both 2-for-4 with a run scored and run batted in. The first six batters in the RIT lineup all scored a run, while Taylor Hogan (Rochester, NY/Brighton) drove in a pair of runs. Skip Flanagan (Framingham, MA/Bishop Feehan), Matt Holtby (Honeoye Falls, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima) and Chris Barr (North Wales, PA/North Penn ) also drove in a run apiece in the victory.

In game two, RIT raced out to a 4-0 lead after four innings, before Thomas tied the game with a pair of runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings. The Tigers responded by breaking the 4-4 tie with five runs in the bottom of the sixth.

RIT got on the board with a single run in the second, as Hogan singled home Roman, who reached on an error. In the third, RIT upped its lead to 4-0, as Skip Flanagan (Framingham, MA/Bishop Feehan) crushed a triple to right centerfield, scoring Barr and Mike Myers (Hamilin, NY/Brockport). Flanagan then stole after Roman drew a throw to second on a faked stolen base attempt.

Tigers starter Rory Little (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake), making his first start of the season, cruised through the first five innings before allowing a pair of runs in the fifth inning. Little would go five innings, allowing a pair of runs on six hits, while striking out five in a 74-pitch outing.

Thomas would tie the game in the sixth with two runs off of freshman David Nitsch (Penfield, NY/Penfield), who was making his first collegiate appearance. Tyler Leichtenberger (Warren, PA/Warren Area) would come in to get the final two outs of the inning on a double play.

In the sixth, RIT would take the lead for good, as Phil Sammon (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) entered as a pinch hitter and was hit by a pitch. Bolorin would follow with a perfect bunt single and Hogan would reach on a bunt attempt that was thrown away by Thomas pitcher Rett Adams, who looked to have Sammon out on a force at third. Barr, the next batter, cleared the bases with a double to the wall in left field, making it 7-4 Tigers. Zach Zabel (Clarence, NY/Clarence) would single in Barr to make it 8-4. Two batters later, Flanagan doubled in Canestro to give RIT a 9-4 lead.

Leichtenberger would retire Thomas in order in the seventh inning to close out the contest and earn his second win of the season. He allowed one hit and struck out two batters in 1 2/3 innings of relief.

Flanagan and Barr had two hits apiece and drove in three runs apiece in the win. Zabel also had two hits and drove in a run. Ethan Henderson was 2-for-3 with a RBI for Thomas.

Roman ended the week by hitting .391 with three doubles, two home runs and nine RBI's to lead RIT. Flanagan doubled and tripled twice, driving in seven runs, while Hogan and Barr drove in five runs each. RIT out-scored its foes 50-41 over the seven games.

RIT returns home to play a pair of doubleheaders this weekend against Liberty League foe Rochester. Both doubleheaders will be played at Rochester and are scheduled to take place on Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 12 p.m.