RPI weekend

The RPI weekend is always a big deal. They are an important rival in the Liberty League, NCAA regional implications were hanging on this weekend, and they are the team that you love to hate, kinda like Boston vs. New York, right Paul?

Coach Reina made a tactical move to start Steve Guzski in game one vs. Joe Zongol, RPI's ace.

Dan Brien had a 3 run homer in the 1st inning to give Rochester a short lived lead, as RPI answered with 8 runs over the next 4 innings to lead 8-3 after 5 innings. UR tacked on 2 runs in the top of the 6th on a 2 RBI single with the bases loaded by Jay Jay Vanderstyne, to close to 8-5. RPI answered with 2 runs of their own on a 2 run homer in the bottom of the 6th to make the final 10-5.

In game # 2, Peter McEneaney pitched a complete game, 9 inning shutout!!!! It was a masterful performance, especially in light of the fact that the RPI coach did everything he could to slow down the pace of the game and disrupt each at bat. Pete just ignored it all and did a fantastic job!

UR scored 1 run in the 3rd inning on a RBI single by Ed Kahovec, and scored the 2nd run in the 6th on a hit by Dan Brien and 2 errors by RPI. That was all that Pete needed.

Once again, the parents hosted a hot dog cookout, with even more food than the Clarkson cookout!! Thanks again to all, as we could not have done this without all of your help and participation.

We were cautiously optomistic with the split, and many were hoping for a split on Sunday, though that was not to be the case.

In game one on Sunday, UR managed just 4 hits and 2 runs, but that was more than enough for Michael Park, who followed Pete's great performance on Saturday, with one of his own on Sunday!! Another complete game shutout, another 2-0 win for UR!

Ed Kahovec homered to left in the first inning to give UR a 1-0 lead, and Matt Francis singled with 2 outs, to score Dave Kloc, who had doubled and advanced to 3rd on a wild pitch.

Michael Park did the rest. I thought that Clarkson was his best performance ever at UR, but I was wrong. This was so much better, and much more important. What a great job!

Now it was time for the last game. We were hoping for a split on Sunday after Saturday's split, but now a win in the last game would make us 3-1 on the weekend, give us 1st place in the regular season Liberty League, which meant that we would host the Liberty League tournament, and go a long way with NCAA regional rankings.

To say that this game was important, well that would be understating the obvious. It was important for both teams!!

Blair Veenema was not to be outdone by his fellow pitchers. He went 7.2 innings with no walks and 11 strikeouts!

UR scored 2 in the first on RBI singles by Vanderstyne and Stein, and 6 in the 3rd with an RBI single by Fuke and a 3 RBI double by Cannon, assisted by 3 RPI errors in the inning,to take a 8-0 lead. RPI scored once in the top of the 4th, but UR got that one back and added another on RBI's by Cannon and Francis, to lead 10-1 after 4 innings. RPI added 2 runs in the top of the 5th and UR got one back in the bottom half on an RBI triple by Stein, and added another in the bottom of the 6th on a Vanderstyne RBI single, scoring Fuke, who had doubled, to take a 12-3 lead. RPI closed out the scoring in the top of the 8th with 2 runs making the final score 12-5. Ned Chanatry closed out the game in fine fashion with no hits and no runs in 1.1 innings of work!

It was a great weekend for UR baseball!!

Great pitching performances with timely hitting and good defense, got the job done!