AUBURNDALE, FL – The RIT baseball team (3-5) fell to Rhode Island College (6-1), 4-2 to wrap up play at the RussMatt Central Baseball Invitational on Friday. RIT won its last three games of the Florida trip.
 
Kyle Terzini (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) opened the scoring in the top of the second inning with his first collegiate home run, a solo shot to make it 1-0 Tigers. Freshman Patrick Blackall (Hershey, PA/Hershey) did the same in the top of the third inning, his first collegiate home run to five RIT a 2-0 advantage.
 
Rhode Island rallied with single runs in the seventh and eighth innings before Stephen Andrews gave the Anchormen the lead for good with a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.
 
Both teams had nine hits. Daniel Zeglen (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glenville) was 3-for-4 with a double, while Blackall added two hits for the Tigers.
 
Stevie Branche (New Paltz, NY/New Paltz) was strong on the mound, allowing just five hits and two runs, while striking out six batters over seven innings.  Bryce Jellinick (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) took the loss in relief, while Michael Campbell (Honeoye Falls, NY/McQuaid Jesuit) also pitched in the eighth inning.
 
Mike Webb and Sam Franco each had two hits and an RBI for Rhode Island College. Tyler Shemick started for RIC, allowing six hits and two runs over five innings. Jake Rockefeller came on in relief and shut the Tigers down over the final four innings, allowing just three hits and a walk, while striking out three batters for the win.

RIT will come back north and is scheduled to make the quick trip to St. John Fisher College at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20. The Tigers will open Liberty League play with a pair of doubleheaders versus University of Rochester next Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24. Saturday's doubleheader from Towers Field at Rochester will start at 1 p.m., while Sunday's twin-bill from Tiger Stadium is set to begin at noon.