Fisher Improves to 9-1; Utica and Houghton Downed
St. John Fisher 2, Franklin & Marshall 1
The St. John Fisher College baseball team won its eighth straight game on Friday afternoon, as the nationally-ranked Cardinals edged Frankin & Marshall 2-1 at Diamond Nation in Flemington, N.J.
Fisher, ranked 29th nationally, took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a solo home run from senior catcher
Nick Flemister, but didn't score again until the ninth inning.
With two outs,
Joe Simmons reached on an error, advanced to third on a single from
Mike Fahy, and scored the go-ahead run on double down the line from
Chris Roeder.
Pitcher
Ryan Smith earned the save for Fisher. After walking the lead-off a batter in the ninth and permitting a sacrifice bunt, the junior struck out the last two batters to end the game.
Freshman pitcher
Marc Iseneker tossed six strong innings, allowing just two hits, two walks and eight strikeouts, but didn't factor into the decision.
Junior
Josh Amann earned his first win in a Fisher uniform, tossing two scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
RIT 10, Utica 2
The Utica College baseball team lost its fifth straight Friday, 10-2, against old Empire 8 Conference affiliate Rochester Institute of Technology in its final game at the Russ Matt Tournament played at the Chain of Lakes Park. The Pioneers were led by junior catcher
Thomas Dinnen who had a perfect day at the dish going 4-for-4 with both Utica RBI's including one homer and one double.
The Tigers scored first with one run in the bottom of the first frame off just one hit. However, a stolen base, walk and UC wild pitch would aid Rochester's 1-0 lead.
The Pioneers tied up the contest, 1-1, in the top of the second as juniors
Vincent Burillo and
Thomas Dinnen teamed up for the game-tying score. Burillo singled to start the inning and advanced to second as RIT returned the wild pitch favor. Dinnen roped a double down the left field line to put UC on the board.
Rochester pushed to a convincing six run lead over the next two frames scoring seven runs on just four hits. The Tigers used two hits and three Utica errors in the third to regain a 5-1 edge before tacking on three more in the fourth.
UC added its second run in the top of fourth, to make the score 5-2, as Dinnen smacked his first home run of the season over the left field wall.
RIT answered right back as it cashed in on two fourth inning walks with a three-run dinger of the wood Rochester's Walt Roman to take an 8-2 cushion. The Tigers would add two more later on to secure the eight run victory.
Senior hurler
Chris Jeffers was tagged with the loss after 3.2 innings of work allowing seven runs, just three earned, while waking five and fanning four.
Senior
Alec Choleva went 2-for-3 with two singles in the loss while Burillo and junior
Nick Perkins added one hit each.
Pitt-Bradford 7, Houghton 0
After two years of home games away from home, Houghton baseball finally played on campus in their new field at the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex. Unfortunately for the Highlanders, the home team came up on the short end of 7-0 decision to Pitt-Bradford on Friday afternoon.
This game was a pitcher's battle for the first seven innings. After allowing a run on two hits in the first inning, Houghton starter
Seth Cornell settled into a groove and spread five hits and 11 strike outs over the next six innings. But as dominant as Cornell was, Panthers pitcher Aaron Cressley was just as impressive. Cressley allowed just one hit and struck out 10 Houghton batters over seven innings.
Down 2-0 heading into the eighth, Houghton brought on reliever
Jared Knowlton, who allowed four runs on three hits in just one inning.
Chad Muise pitched the ninth, allowing one run on two hits.
Pitt-Brad reliever Bill Emerick pitched the final two innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three.
Brett Rapan(double) and
Michael Knapp (single) had Houghton's only hits on the day.