Baseball | 3/17/2021 10:00:00 AM

Rochester Institute of Technology baseball has enjoyed unprecedented success in the last five seasons, including the program's first Liberty League Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance during three-straight post-season berths prior to 2020.
 
The team's recent momentum on the field can largely be attributed to the tremendous support it receives off the field. Multiple facility upgrades have helped set the RIT Baseball experience apart from many of the programs in the region, while new projects on the horizon will help ensure the Tigers' recent success is sustained for years to come.
 
"We have been blessed the last few years with some great upgrades to our facilities thanks to RIT's investment and some generous donors," said Baseball Head Coach Rob Grow. "The player experience at RIT will soon rival any in the country."
 
Upgrades have included: 

• A locker room upgrade was installed in 2018, which included an expanded floor plan, custom lockers, and a lounge area complete with RIT branded furniture and a large screen television. 
• In 2019, HitTrax, Rapsodo, Blast Motion sensors and a 4D-motion capture device were donated to afford players and coaches access to cutting-edge resources for technique review and skill development.  
• RIT recently renovated the auxiliary gym located in Clark Gymnasium to include an artificial surface, as well as and permanent netting for five cages which makes team and individual training accessible all year round. 
• RIT Baseball Stadium is slated for a major upgrade in the spring of 2021. An artificial surface will be installed throughout the entire facility, featuring a surface that plays like a natural field, but will also stand up to the unpredictable weather typical of the Northeast. 

"Thanks to the leadership and vision of Coach Grow, we can now boast one of the finest training and player support facilities in all of Division III," added Executive Director of Athletics Lou Spiotti Jr. "It will serve our program well and support an outstanding student-athlete experience for many years to come."
 
Continued Grow, "Our players have a first class locker room where they can now spend time bonding rather than just having a place to change for practice.  The auxiliary gym has been transformed in to one of the best indoor training facilities for baseball that you will find on any campus.  The auxiliary gym upgrades and the technology that we now use allow us to develop players at a very high level as seen by Will Gorman being drafted by the Diamondbacks in 2017 and, most recently, Stevie Branche signing with the Cincinnati Reds organization this past year. 
 
"This most recent news that we will be getting a new turf baseball field is a major upgrade that will provide our players all the tools to be the best they can be while enjoying a first-class collegiate experience. We'll be able to practice in February and March and also get games in that we have lost to bad weather in previous years. We are extremely appreciative of the commitment RIT is making to the baseball program."