POTSDAM, NY – The RIT baseball team (11-11, 6-4 Liberty League) earned a doubleheader split at Liberty League leader Clarkson University (12-10, 8-2 Liberty League) on Saturday afternoon from Jack Phillips Stadium. Clarkson took game one, 5-1, while RIT jumped out to a big early lead and took game two, 12-7.
In game one, Clarkson took advantage of two RIT errors to score four unearned runs. RIT starter
Stevie Branche (New Paltz, NY/New Paltz) went the distance, allowing seven hits and just one earned run, while striking out six batters.
Joey Mylott (Aurora, OH/Western Reserve Academy) and
Daniel Zeglen (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glenville) had two hits apiece for the Tigers, while
Patrick Blackall (Hershey, PA/Hershey) drove in the lone RIT run.
Seven different Golden Knights had one hit. Ryan Riley was excellent on the mound, scattering six hits and two walks, while striking out five batters for his fourth win of the season.
RIT was hungry for the split in game two, jumping out to a 9-0 with nine runs on six hits and three walks. The Tigers loaded the bases with nobody out.
Kyle Terzini (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) would walk to force in a run and
Jason Schulz (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) singled to drive in RIT's second run. After a pitching change,
Patrick Mylott (Aurora, OH/Western Reserve Academy) walked to force in RIT's third run in the inning.
Navada Waterman (Coudersport, PA/Coudersport) reached on a fielder's choice, driving in a run to make it 4-0 Tigers.
Daniel Capra (North Salem, NY/North Salem) doubled in a run, Zeglen singled in a run and
Luke McNamara (Harrisburg, PA/Central Dauphin) finished the onslaught by lacing a two-run double.
Clarkson would rally with four runs in the fourth inning, but RIT would put the game away with three more runs in the ninth inning, as Zeglen singled in two more runs.
RIT out-hit Clarkson, 12-9. Zeglen the way by going 3-for-6 with three RBI and two runs scored, while McNamara added three hits and two RBI. Capra and Schulz added two hits apiece.
John Mikolaicyk (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) earned his second win of the season on the mound for RIT, allowing five hits and four runs, while walking five batters and striking out seven.
Matt Vitro (Carmel, NY/Carmel) did a tremendous job out of the bullpen, pitching the final four innings of relief for his first collegiate save. He kept Clarkson off the scoreboard for the first three innings.
Joe Stockman and Michael Tito had two hits and an RBI apiece for the Golden Knights in game two. Nate Burns was effective out of the bullpen, throwing 5 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
The Tigers are currently tied for second in the Liberty League standings with Union, two games behind Clarkson.
RIT and Clarkson are scheduled to conclude the weekend series on Sunday at 10 a.m.
