Baseball splits doubleheader at Ithaca; falls, 5-4, wins 2-1

ITHACA, N.Y. – The RIT baseball team earned a doubleheader split at Ithaca by falling 5-4 in the first game before winning 2-1 in the second game, Friday.
 
GAME ONE – Ithaca 5, RIT 4

• Trailing 2-0 through two innings, the visiting Tigers scored two runs when senior Adam Marsh reached first on a fielder's choice before advancing to second on a throwing error by Ithaca's second baseman. The error allowed junior Jackson Rusiecki and senior Randy Dodig to come across home plate.
• Ithaca regained the lead in the fifth inning when Matt Curtis singled into right field, bringing in Andrew McDermott.
• In the top of the ninth, Marsh hit a single up the middle to drive in junior Caelen Kim and Dodig, making it a 4-4 game.
• With bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, the Bombers' Matt Curtis hit a walk-off single down the left line, allowing Ethan Fantel to score.
• Marsh led RIT with three RBIs, going 1-of-4 at the plate with one hit and a walk.

 
GAME TWO – RIT 2, Ithaca 1

• Ithaca got on the scoreboard in the first when Curtis hit a sacrifice fly in left field, driving in McDermott.
• RIT responded in the fourth when junior Charlie Slaymaker managed to score when graduate John Bagley grounded out to the shortstop.
• The Tigers won the game with a walk-off double from Rusiecki that brought in Dodig.
• Junior Luc Rising pitched eight innings, allowing one run on five hits while striking out three batters. Senior Ryan Merkov pitched the final inning to get the win, improving to 2-0 on the season.

 
GAME NOTES

• The second game of the doubleheader was originally the first game of a doubleheader at RIT on Saturday but was moved up to Friday due to rainy weather forecasted for Saturday.

 
UP NEXT
RIT returns home to finish the three-game series with Ithaca on Sunday (Apr. 6) at noon.