Courtesy: RIT Athletics
The RIT baseball team opened Liberty League postseason play with a sweep at Bard, taking the first game, 5-3, before advancing to the Liberty League Tournament with a 6-2 victory in the second game, Saturday.
In game one, RIT scored four runs in the third inning and then added one run in the fourth. Bard’s rally fell short with three runs in the eighth.
In game two’s 6-2 victory, RIT and Bard traded runs in the second inning, but the Tigers had a three-run inning in the third and added another run in the fourth for a 5-1 lead. Both teams traded runs in the sixth to complete the game’s scoring.
GAME 1 – RIT 5, BARD 3
- The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the third after junior catcher Kyle Poorman was awarded home after a balk.
- Senior left fielder Chris Reilly’s two-run triple in the third scored senior centerfielder Will Porter and senior third baseman Patrick Blackall for a 3-0 lead.
- Reilly made it 4-0 in the third after coming home when freshman designated hitter Adam Marsh reached first on a dropped fly ball.
- In the fourth inning, senior first baseman Ian Libby’s groundout scored Poorman for a 5-0 Tiger lead.
- Bard scored the game’s final three runs in the eighth from a sacrifice fly, reach on a fielder’s choice, and a single.
GAME 2 – RIT 6, BARD 2
- RIT got on the board first with a 1-0 lead in the second inning after Poorman’s single scored Marsh, but the Raptors tied the game in the bottom of the inning from a Tiger error.
- The Tigers took a 4-1 lead in the third inning. Marsh’s two-run single scored sophomore second baseman John Bagley and Blackall. Sophomore shortstop Randy Dodig capped the scoring on a sacrifice fly that scored Bagley.
- Blackall’s single improved the Tigers’ lead to 5-1 in the fourth after Porter crossed the plate.
- In the sixth inning, both teams traded runs. The Tigers made it a 6-1 game after Libby’s double scored Bagley, but the Raptors answered with an RBI double of their own.
GAME NOTES
- The Tigers continued to dominate in games away from Tiger Stadium by getting road (neutral site) wins 13 and 14 on the season.
- At no time during either game did RIT trail.
- The third inning was the deciding one for RIT in both games. The Tigers combined for seven runs in both games in the third inning with three runs in the first game and four runs in the second game.
- In the first game, the Tigers plated 10 hits with two each from Libby, Poorman, and Dodig.
- Poorman had a team-high two runs, while Reilly’s two RBI led the team in that category.
- Sophomore starting pitcher John Arnold recorded his third win of the season after allowing eight hits and three runs with two strikeouts in the first eight innings, while junior reliever Peter Bossinas earned his second save with a pair of strikeouts in the final inning.
- In the second game, RIT again plated 10 hits and were led by three from graduate student right fielder Nic Stagnitta, with two from Blackall.
- Bagley led the team in runs with two, while Marsh had a team-best two RBI.
- Senior starting pitcher Jon Opalewski went the distance in recording his team-leading fifth win after allowing five hits, one earned run and one walk with four strikeouts.
- WHAT’S NEXT
RIT, the University of Rochester and Clarkson will travel to host Ithaca for a double-elimination tournament Thursday-Saturday to determine the Liberty League Champion.
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