ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT baseball team (11-11, 6-4 Liberty League) used late-inning heroics in both games of a doubleheader sweep, taking down defending Liberty League Champion Rensselaer (9-18, 8-6 Liberty League) by scores of 3-2 in game one and 4-3 in 11 innings in game two.

RIT would rally with two runs in its final at-bat of game one, tie game two on its final out in the ninth inning and win on a walk-off single from Will Gorman (Nassau, NY/Columbia).

"Walk off wins are always special," said RIT head coach Rob Grow. "To come back and win two one-run games against the defending league champions is as good of a day as it gets in the regular season."

In game one, RIT's Rory Little (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) and Rensselaer's Stephen Schiavone locked up in a strong pitcher's duel, with the first four innings taking just 40 minutes, with both keeping very low pitch counts.

RIT would open the scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Zach Zabel (Clarence, NY/Clarence) would single, steal second and move to third on a throwing error. Taylor Hogan (Rochester, NY/Brighton) would drive Zabel in with a ground out to second, making it 1-0.
The Engineers would come right back in the fifth, loading the bases with one out and taking the lead on a two-out single by Christian Spagnuola to plate a pair of runs.

RIT would take the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Zabel singled to lead off and stole second before Hogan walked. After Gorman hit a deep fly ball to center field, moving Zabel over, Brian Battaglia (Sliver Spring, MD/James Hubert Blake) would execute a perfect hit and run, scoring Zabel and moving Hogan to third with one out. Hogan would score on a wild pitch right after for the difference.

Little was excellent on the hill for the Tigers, allowing just five hits, while not walking a batter and striking out five Engineers in an 86-pitch complete-game for his second win of the year. Schiavone also pitched well, allowing six hits and two walks in a complete-game effort of his own.

In game two, Gorman ended the 11-inning affair with a two-out, bases loaded single to score Daniel Zeglen (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glenville), who opened the inning with an opposite field single. After a sacrifice bunt and strikeout, Zabel and Hogan drew walks, setting the stage for Gorman. On a 1-0 count, Gorman ripped a fastball into right field for the walk-off single, sending the Tiger Stadium faithful home happy, as the Tigers spilled out on to the field to mob Gorman and Zeglen.

Much like game one, both starting pitchers went deep into the game. After a leadoff walk, RIT pitcher Brian Reed (Rochester, NY/Penfield) settled in nicely, retiring 18 of the next 20 batters. Greg Echeverria allowed a run in the first and third innings, but then held RIT scoreless for the next five innings.

RIT opened the scoring in the first inning, as Phil Sammon (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Zabel. In the third inning, Battaglia reached on an error and came around to score on a two-out single by Zeglen.

Reed was rolling along for RIT until the top of the eighth inning before giving up a one-out single and hitting the next batter. After coercing a fly out, Reed looked to be out of the inning before Sam Lawrence hit a check swing single just out of the reach of Zabel at second. Grow went to the bullpen for Brett Bouchard (Fairport, NY/Fairport), while Rensselaer countered by sending Jason Ramos up as a pinch-hitter. Ramos would send the first pitch he saw up the gap in right center field, clearing the bases to give the Engineers a 3-2 lead.

Down to their final out in the ninth, the Tigers kept clawing and eventually tied the game at 3-3. Jim Schmidt (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker) led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jason Schulz (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool). After a flyout, Hogan came up as RIT's final hope and on the first pitch, the senior delivered an opposite field hit into left center, scoring pinch runner Patrick Mylott (Aurora, OH/Western Reserve Academy) to tie the game.

Zabel, Gorman, Zeglen, and Schmidt had two hits apiece for the Tigers. Reed was tremendous on the mound despite the no-decision, allowing four hits and three runs with four strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings. Bouchard would give RIT valuable innings out of the pen, allowing two hits while striking out two batters in 2 1/3 innings. Jameson Moran (Geneseo, NY/Geneseo) would earn his second win of the season, firing a scoreless top of the 11th inning.

Ramos drove in all three runs for the Engineers. Echeverria took the loss, pitching into the 11th inning, firing 137 pitches, allowing nine hits and three earned runs with four strikeouts.

Today's game marked a rematch of the 2015 Liberty League Championship. Rensselaer, the top seed, defeated RIT to win the league title and earn the automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. Last season, Rensselaer won the season series between the two schools, 5-2.

The two teams meet on Sunday to complete their regular season series with a doubleheader from Tiger Stadium, starting at noon.