LAKE WALES, Fla. – Senior Dan Ludwig's (Victor, N.Y.) two-out, bases loaded single in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted the University of Rochester baseball team to a 6-5 win over Wentworth and enabled the Yellowjackets to garner a split after the Leopards had taken the opening game by a 6-2 score.
Junior Kyle Cruz (Burlington, Conn.) picked up the in for Wentworth in the opener as he hurled a complete-game four hitter in which he yielded a pair of runs and at one point in the contest set down 11 straight batters.
Rochester opened the game with a run in the top of the first when junior Alex Caghan (North Canton, Ohio) led off with a double to left, stole third, and came home to score on a groundout to the right side by junior Rob Barnard (Springfield, Va.). Wentworth countered with a run in the bottom of the inning when senior Matt Jordan (Concord, N.H.), who reached on an error to open the inning, scored on a classmate Ben Danker (Branford, Conn.) RBI single to center.
The game remained tied until the Leopards struck for three in the home half of the fourth inning, with Jordan driving in a run on an infield single and senior Doug Papuga (Branford, Conn.) plating a pair with a single to left. Wentworth added two more in the fifth inning on a senior Brendon Duffy (Lynn, Mass.) sacrifice fly and when senior Mike Diodato (Asbury, N.J.) came around to score on an errant double play attempt.
An RBI single by senior Steve Just (Liverpool, N.Y.) scored Caghan, who had led off the inning with a single, and cut the lead to 6-2. Cruz set down the side in order in the seventh to end the game.
Papuga, Danker, Diodato, and junior Justin Bolla (Groveland, Mass.) each had two hits for the Leopards, with Papuga driving in a pair of runs in the winning effort.
Caghan and Just each had two hits for the Yellowjackets, while freshman Jeremy Diller (Martinsville, Ind.) took the loss, allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits and striking out four in four innings of work.
Wentworth squandered an opportunity in the first inning, leaving runners at first and third. In the second inning, however, the Leopards would get on the board when freshman Paul Dassau (Franklin, Mass.) drew a two-out, bases loaded walk to hive Wentworth a 1-0 lead. However, that would be all the Leopards would get as junior D.J. Schwartz (Arkport, N.Y.) got a fly out to leave the bases loaded.
An inning later the Leopards broke through for our runs, as Diodato had an RBI groundout, freshman Jon Spitz (Hanover, Mass.) had an RBI single and would eventually steal home, and Jordan drove in a run.
Leopard sophomore Alex Wong (Lewiston, Maine) kept Rochester in check, not allowing a base hit until the fourth inning, while Schwartz would allow just one baserunner over the next two innings.
Trailing 5-0 heading into the home half of the seventh inning, Rochester rallied for five runs to tie the game. Junior Alex Parker (Plantation, Fla.) hit an RBI double to break the ice for the Yellowjackets before Caghan drove in freshman Tyler DeClerck (Penfield, N.Y.). With two outs and runners at first and third, senior Matt Francis (East Amherst, N.Y.) brought Rochester within a run with a two-run triple to right and he would score the tying run one batter later on a Just single.
After the Leopards were set down in order in the top of the eighth, freshman Nate Mulberg (Cherry Hill, N.J.) led off with a single and was sacrificed to second. An intentional walk set up runners at first and second with one out and after junior Dom Caruso (Liverpool, N.Y.) reached on a fielder's choice to place runners at the corners with two outs, Caghan was walked to loaded the bases. With a 1-1 count, Ludwig would lace a single through the right side to give the Yellowjackets the win.
Sophomore Corey King (Fredonia, N.Y.) pitched two scoreless innings, striking out two to pick up the win. Schwartz pitched the first five innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and striking out five. Freshman Stephen Cool (Reading, Mass.) pitched a scoreless sixth, striking out two batters. Rochester pitchers combined to allow just one baserunner over the final four innings, including setting down the final 10 batters. At the plate, Francis had two hits and two RBI.
Sophomore Ryan DeCotis (Nashua, N.H.) was tagged with the loss (0-1), allowing three runs on five hits and striking out three batters in an inning and two thirds. Wong allowed three runs on four hits and struck out three in six-plus innings of work. Jordan, Danker, and Spitz each recorded two hits.
Wentworth is 2-2 and faces Drew tomorrow (March 8) in a single game in Winter Haven, Fla. Rochester stands at 3-1 and begins University Athletic Association Championship Tournament play on Wednesday against Case Western in Sanford, Fla.
