RIT has Liberty League winning streak snapped with pair of losses at Union

Courtesy of RITAthletics.com

TROY, NY – The RIT baseball team (5-5, 2-2 Liberty League) had its 24-game winning streak against Liberty League opponents snapped on Saturday, dropping both ends of a doubleheader to Union College (8-4, 2-2 Liberty League), 8-3 and 7-6.

RIT’s Patrick Mylott (Aurora, OH/Western Reserve Academy) had four hits and drove in four runs in the doubleheader. He was 3-for-4 with a double and RBI in game one and slammed a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning in game two.

Union’s bats came alive, as the slammed 22 hits in the doubleheader sweep. In game one, RIT took an early 2-0 lead before Union scored eight unanswered runs, including a grand slam off the bat of Colin Kelly in the top of the fourth inning. Kelly drove in five runs for the Dutchmen in the win.

Jake Vesling shut down the potent RIT offense, allowing two earned runs, while striking out 12 batters in the complete-game win.

Sean Pufpaff (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) hit his first collegiate home run for the Tigers in the bottom of the seventh inning. Jameson Moran (Geneseo, NY/Geneseo) took the loss on the mound, despite striking out nine batters in four innings. Bryce Jellinick (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) gave RIT three strong innings of relief, allowing just one hit and one run, while striking out a pair of batters.

Union out-hit RIT, 15-9 in game two and jumped out to leads of 5-0 and 7-1 before the Tigers came roaring back with five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, all with two outs, bringing the tying run to the plate. Dalton Murray (Savannah, NY/Clyde-Savannah) hit his first collegiate home-run, a two-run shot, to make it a 7-3 game. After a walk and single, Mylott hit one out of the park to cut the Dutchmen lead to 7-6.

Jake Vesling was 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored and three RBIs to lift Union. Bill Christopher was tremendous on the mound, limiting the Tigers to just five hits and one run over seven innings to earn the win.

Daniel Zeglen (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glenville), Daniel Capra (North Salem, NY/North Salem), Murray and Joey Mylott (Aurora, OH/Western Reserve Academy) had two hits apiece for the Tigers in game two. Zeglen started and took the loss on the mound, allowing 10 hits and five runs in six innings, despite throwing just 74 pitches. Michael Campbell (Honeoye Falls, NY/McQuaid Jesuit) and Brett Bouchard(Fairport, NY/Fairport) combined for two innings of scoreless relief.

The Tigers won both contests against Union to open the weekend series yesterday, by scores of 10-2 and 9-6.

RIT’s last loss against a Liberty League opponent came on April 3, 2017, a 4-2 loss to Rensselaer.

The Tigers are right back in action with a home doubleheader against Clarkson University on Wednesday, April 4. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.