Courtesy of UR Athletics
After an unsteady start at the University Athletic Association (UAA) tournament in Sanford, FL, the UR baseball team had a good comeback this weekend against Bard College. After winning three of their four games in doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday, the team gained their fourth win on Wednesday against Keuka College.
During the tournament, the ‘Jackets stood 4-4, winning their first game of the season 6-2 against Brandeis University, and beating New York University 12-0. Overall, UR tied with Case Western Reserve University for third in the tournament.
The ‘Jackets lost to SUNY Brockport 0-3 in their home opener on March 24 and to SUNY Cortland 11-15 the following day. But this Saturday, the ‘Jackets stepped up their performance and split the doubleheader against Bard College, winning the first game 12-4 and losing the second by a small margin of 2-4.
The ‘Jackets got ahead in the first inning thanks to juniors Nolan Schultz and Lance Hamilton. Schultz scored on a wild pitch given by Bard’s pitcher, sophomore Quinn McIerney. Hamilton allowed senior Brendan Garry to score with an RBI triple to right field. UR kept up their game scoring six in the third and fourth innings, putting them up 8-0 through RBI singles by juniors Brian Munoz and Jake Meyerson, and RBIs from Schultz and Garry.
In the fifth inning Bard attempted to get back on track, scoring four runs. But the ‘Jackets then answered with another four, with freshman Tyler Schmidt bringing in junior Dan Warren, Meyerson, and Munoz after his triple down right field, and senior Josh Ludwig adding an RBI ground out.
Schmidt led the YellowJackets going 2-3 with 3 RBI and 2 runs scored alongside Hamilton, who also chipped in two RBIs. Junior pitcher Michael Mondon also made a huge impact, pitching the full game with eighth hits, five runs and five strikeouts.
Unfortunately, the ‘Jackets were not as successful later that day. Bard scored four in the first inning and held off Rochester for the remainder of the game to snag their first Liberty League win.
Sunday was a different—and stronger—story for the ‘Jackets, who won their first game in their doubleheader against Bard 16-9. The team got ahead early scoring nine in the first two innings. In the fourth and fifth innings Bard attempted to answer, scoring nine of their own. As the game went on, the ‘Jackets stood firm and kept their lead, scoring two runs in both the 6th and 7th allowing the Yellowjackets to win 16-9. UR gained a total of 13 hits, while Bard had 11 of their own. The win went to junior Luke Meyerson, who pitched for the last three innings and had one strikeout, zero runs and faced 11 batters.
In the second game, the ‘Jackets started off strong, leading the game 8-3 by the bottom of the second inning. By the bottom of the fifth, Rochester was leading 14-7, after which Bard was scoreless as Rochester finished the game 21-7. Munoz totalled two home runs, one in each the second and the fifth. Slutsky hit for the cycle with a two-run home run in the first. Warren faced a total of 25 batters, striking out four of them, allowing nine hits and seven runs.
After a successful weekend against the Bard competitors, on Tuesday, UR gained their third consecutive win against Keuka College, scoring early, tallying six runs in the second inning. Slutsky singled down centerfield and gained two RBIs through Meyerson and Schmidt; Munoz doubled in a run and Schultz gained two RBIs as well. In the fourth John Rizzo of Keuka gained a single RBI when he singled to center field in an attempt at a comeback. Keuka scored again in the fifth, but the Yellowjackets held down their game and scored in the fourth and eighth.
UR baseball will continue its stretch of home games this weekend in their doubleheaders against St. Lawrence University on both Friday, April 1 at 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. and on Saturday, April 2 at 12:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Garcia is a member of the class of 2017.
