HOUGHTON, NY - The RIT baseball team (1-0) scored a pair of runs in the fourth inning and five in the fifth, rolling to a 7-1 season opening win over Houghton College (6-5) on a cool but sunny, Wednesday afternoon.

Down 1-0 in the top of the fourth inning, RIT took the lead for good, as with two outs, Chris Barr (North Wales, PA/North Penn ) tripled to left field, scoring Mike Myers (Hamlin, NY/Brockport), who had walked earlier in the inning. After a Taylor Hogan (Rochester, NY/Brighton) walk, Skip Flanagan (Framingham, MA/Bishop Feehan) lined a run scoring single to plate Barr, making it 2-1 Tigers.

The following inning, RIT exploded for five runs to take control. Brett Kajganich (North Royalton, OH/Holy Name) walked and reached second base on a wild pitch, then scored on a throwing error by the pitcher as CJ Bolorin (Rochester, NY/Rush-Henrietta) attempted to bunt him over. Will Gorman (Nassau, NY/Columbia) tripled home Bolorin to make it 4-1 and scored right after on a single by Myers. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, RIT was able to plate two more runs on consecutive groundouts from Hogan and Flanagan to complete the scoring.

Flanagan was 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs, while Gorman was 2-for-3 with a triple, run scored, run batted in, and two walks. Barr was 2-for-5 with a triple, run scored, and RBI. Kajganich walked a career-high four times.

Freshman Ben Terzini (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) had his first collegiate base hit, while Gage Blasi (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker), Andrew Billone (Pittsford, NY/McQuaid), and Dom Scialabba (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) all made their collegiate debuts.

Seven RIT pitchers combined on a three-hitter with 11 strikeouts. Rory Little (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) started, allowing two hits and a run with three strikeouts over the opening two innings. David Nitsch (Penfield, NY/Penfield) pitched the third inning with a strikeout, while Brian Reed (Rochester, NY/Penfield) struck out two batters in the fourth innings. Brett Bouchard (Fairport, NY/Fairport) hurled two innings of scoreless relief with three strikeouts, while Rich Sammon (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield), Brandon Cohall (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas), and Brian Sheridan (Trumansburg, NY/Trumansburg) each fired a scoreless inning to close out the game.

Reed was credited with the win, as he was on the mound when RIT took the lead for good. It was his first collegiate win in his first appearance. Bouchard also made his collegiate debut on the mound.

Michael Knapp doubled in Houghton's lone run in the first inning. Starter Seth Cornell took the loss on the mound, allowing four runs (three earned) in four innings of work.

RIT is back in action over Spring Break, playing four games at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. RIT opens with a doubleheader against Colby College at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 22.