Albany, N.Y. – The Skidmore College baseball team opened its 2011 Liberty League schedule with a split against Rochester, Saturday afternoon at St. Rose's Plumeri Complex. The Yellowjackets took game one, 6-4 and the Thoroughbreds won the nightcap, 8-5.
Skidmore is now 8-2 on the season, while Rochester moves to 5-7. The games were played at a neutral site due to inclement weather and field conditions.
In the opener, the Thoroughbreds got on the board first behind a two-run double from freshman
Erik Watkins (Sudbury, Mass.) in the top of the second. In the bottom half of the second inning, the Yellowjackets tied it up after back-to-back RBI singles from Alex Parker and Nate Mulberg and then took the lead on an RBI double from Dominick Caruso.
Skidmore took the lead back in the fourth as
Logan Arena (Upton, Mass.) singled to score
Alex Barber (Cambridge, Mass.), tying it at 3-3, and took the lead on Watkins' RBI groundout. Rochester used a three-run fifth to take a 6-4 lead and held on for the win as Rob Barnard had an RBI single, Alex Caghan scored on an error and Parker was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in a run.
Dan Ludwig picked up the win for the Yellowjackets, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out five and Nick Cacciola earned the save, tossing two no-hit innings.
Trevor Brucato (Stamford, Conn.) suffered his first loss of the season, allowing six runs (three earned) in 4.2 innings.
In the second game, the Thoroughbreds used a four-run third inning to jump out to the lead and never looked back.
Rob Rubenstein (Highland Park, N.J.) drove in the first run of the game with an RBI single in the first, scoring
Matty Tatkow (Sudbury, Mass.). Rochester tied it right back up at 1-1 after Alex Caghan scored on a stolen base then a throwing error.
In the top of the third,
Zack Rudman (Pittsford, N.Y.) had a two-RBI double sandwiched by RBI singles from Rubenstein and
Zach Brown (Victor, N.Y.) to give Skidmore a 5-1 lead.
The Yellowjackets got it to 5-2 after a Steven Just RBI single, but the Thoroughbreds added two runs in the sixth behind a pair of RBI singles from Tatkow and Watkins. Rochester picked up a run in the sixth and two in the seventh, but Skidmore held off the rally, tacking on a run in the eighth on a steal of home by Tatkow. Rudman tossed two no-hit innings, striking out four, to pick up the save.
Nick Laracuente (Tenafly, N.J.) earned the win, improving to 3-0, allowing five runs (two earned) on six hits in seven innings of work. D.J. Schwartz took the loss as he allowed five runs (three earned) in three innings.
The Thoroughbreds return to action on April 2 at Vassar.
Rochester 6, Skidmore College 4 (Mar 26, 2011 at Albany, N.Y.) (Game 1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Skidmore College.... 020 200 0 - 4 7 2 (7-2, 0-1 Liberty)
Rochester........... 030 030 X - 6 7 1 (4-6, 1-0 Liberty)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Skidmore College - Brucato; Keysor(5) and Arena. Rochester - Dan Ludwig;
N. Cacciola(6) and T. DeClerck.
Win-Dan Ludwig(1-2) Save-N. Cacciola(1) Loss-Brucato(1-1) T-1:55 A-75
Weather: Mid 30's windy
Skidmore College 8, Rochester 5 (Mar 26, 2011 at Albany, N.Y.) (Game 2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Skidmore College.... 104 002 010 - 8 11 5 (8-2, 1-1 Liberty)
Rochester........... 101 001 200 - 5 6 2 (5-7, 1-1 Liberty)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Skidmore College - Laracuente; Rudman(8) and Green. Rochester - DJ Schwartz;
C. Chanatry(4); J. Diller(8) and T. DeClerck.
Win-Laracuente(3-0) Save-Rudman(1) Loss-DJ Schwartz(0-1) T-3:45 A-75
Weather: Mid 30's, windy
