ROCHESTER, NY – RIT pitchers combined to strike out 29 batters, as the baseball team (13-6, 8-1 Liberty League) swept a doubleheader against Liberty League rival University of Rochester (6-13, 4-8 Liberty League) on Friday afternoon at sun soaked Tiger Stadium. RIT took game one, 4-1 and used a walk-off single from Brett Kajganich (North Royalton, OH/Holy Name) to win game two, 2-1.

The Tigers have now won six straight games and moved into sole possession of first place in the Liberty League standings.

RIT freshman pitcher Stevie Branche (New Paltz, NY/New Paltz) struck out 15 batters in 6 2/3 innings during game two, while junior Brian Reed (Rochester, NY/Penfield) struck out 12 batters in game one. Brett Bouchard (Fairport, NY/Fairport) added two strikeouts in relief in game two. Branche's 15 strikeout performance is the most in nearly 20 years by a RIT pitcher and most ever by a RIT freshman.

"Those were two great games today," said RIT head coach Rob Grow. "I love the way our team is playing with confidence and closing out games."

In game one, RIT got on the board first with a run in the bottom of the second inning. Dom Scialabba (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) doubled, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a bloop single by Daniel Capra (North Salem, NY/North Salem).

RIT catcher Mike Myers (Hamlin, NY/Brockport) threw out two would be base stealers, one in the first inning and one in the third.

Rochester would even the game with an unearned run in the top of the fifth inning. David Rieth led off with a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Pete Carrier and advanced to third on a deep fly out to center field by Will Conroy. With a 1-2 count on Jack Herman, Rieth would score on a passed ball to put Rochester on the board.

RIT broke the 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning with three runs. Myers led off with a walk and with one out, stole second. Patrick Mylott (Aurora, OH/Western Reserve Academy) and Capra would also walk, the latter coming back from a 0-2 hole to load the bases with one out. Jason Schulz (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) would drive a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Myers to give RIT a 2-1 lead. The next batter, Navada Waterman (Coudersport, PA/Coudersport) lifted a fly ball to center field which fell after it was lost in the bright early afternoon sun to score Mylott and Capra, giving RIT a 4-1 edge.

Reed would work around a one-out hit in the seventh inning to close out the Yellowjackets for his fourth win and second complete game of the season. Reed allowed just four hits, and unearned run, and struck out a career-high 12 batters, while walking two to lower his earned run average to 2.23 on the season.

John Ghyzel was solid in his start on the mound for Rochester, allowing three hits and an unearned run in five innings, striking out eight and walking four in the no decision. Tyler McConway would take the loss, allowing RIT's first two sixth inning runs.

In game two, Branche and Rochester's duo of Garrett Renslow and Jack Donlon squared off in another pitcher's duel. Branche would strike out eight batters over the first three innings and 11 over the first four innings.

The Tigers would get on the board first in the fourth inning, as Phil Sammon (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) walked with two outs and moved to second on a wild pitch. Myers blooped a single to center, scoring Sammon to make it 1-0.

RIT had a golden chance to up its lead in the fifth inning, loading the bases with one out and chasing Renslow. Donlon would come in and get a strikeout and double play to emerge unscathed.

Rochester would even the game in the top of the ninth inning off Bouchard. Pete Carrier doubled down the left field line to start the inning and pinch runner Corey Ziring moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Rieth. Mark Davis lined a fly ball to left that glanced off the left fielder's glove for an error, scoring Ziring to tie the game.

In the bottom of the ninth, Capra drew a leadoff walk against Rochester reliever Kevin Ho, but was erased as Schulz tried to bunt him over. Navada Waterman (Coudersport, PA/Coudersport) would single, moving Schulz to second. After a ground out moved both runners over, Kajganich lined a shot to right field that dropped in, allowing Schulz to score the winning run.

Waterman was 4-for-5 for the Tigers in game two, while Kajganich, Myers, and Schulz each had two hits.

Branche allowed four hits and did not walk a batter in his 103-pitch gem. Bouchard picked up his fourth win of the season, allowing two hits and an unearned run in 2 1/3 innings of relief.

Rochester leads the all-time series between the two schools, 78-52-1.

RIT and Rochester will continue its weekend series on Saturday morning with a doubleheader from Tiger Stadium that gets underway at 10:30 a.m.