Baseball drops first two games of 2019 season to Frostburg State

FARMVILLE, VA - The RIT baseball team opened the 2019 season by dropping both ends of a doubleheader to Frostburg State University (7-0) from Hampden-Sydney College on Saturday afternoon. RIT dropped game one, 3-2 in eight inning and lost game two, 10-7.

In game one, RIT led 2-0 before Frostburg State chipped away with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to force extra innings. The Bobcats would win it on a pair of doubles in the bottom of the eighth inning.

RIT out-hit Frostburg State, 7-5. Freshmen Patrick Blackall, Ian Libby and John Mikolaicyk had their first collegiate hits. In the fourth inning, Blackall singled, stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. After a walk by Libby, Blackall would score on a wild pitch. Mikolaicyk would double in Libby to make it 2-0 RIT.

Stevie Branche pitched well in his first start of the year for RIT, allowing three hits and two runs, while walking two batters and striking out seven in six innings. Liam Barry made his collegiate debut on the mound allowed two hits and a run over 1 1/3 innings of relief.

In game two, Frostburg State exploded for 10 runs over the first three innings and hung on. The Bobcats out-hit RIT 10-9, but the Tigers left 13 men on base.

Navada Waterman was 2-for-4 with a run scored to go along with a walk, while Joey Mylott finished 2-for-5 with a run scored and run batted in. Libby reached base three times, while Ian Humes made his first appearance, scoring a run.

Jameson Moran started for the Tigers and took the loss. Collin Reformat and Jon Opalewski combined to throw three innings of scoreless relief.

RIT is right back in action Sunday morning vs. St. Mary's of Virginia at 10 a.m.