W&J Falls Short Against Brockport State
AUBURNDALE, Fla. – A late Washington & Jefferson rally fell just short as Brockport State held on for a 7-6 baseball victory at Lake Myrtle Park Monday afternoon.
22nd-ranked W&J fell to 4-2 despite matching a season high with 16 hits. Senior second baseman Scott Liller (Moon Township, Pa./Moon) and juniors Kyle McLain (East Amherst, N.Y./Canisius) and Derek McIlvaine (Washington, Pa./Chartiers-Houston) all recorded three hits to pace the Presidents.
W&J built a 2-0 lead after two innings and added a pair of runs in the fourth. Senior center fielder Scott Brady (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton) smashed a double to deep right-center field, plating McLain and sophomore catcher Tyler Schultz (Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville) followed with a base hit to up the Presidents’ cushion four runs.
The Golden Eagles responded with four runs in the bottom half of the inning and then took the lead in the fifth with a sacrifice fly from Nick Bunce. Brockport added a pair of insurance runs during the seventh inning to make the score 7-4.
Liller got the Presidents’ ninth-inning rally started with an infield single. Four batters later, junior designated hitter Ronny Peirish (Wexford, Pa./Pine-Richland) delivered a two-out RBI single, knocking in Liller. McLain followed with another single to push home another run, but All-America closer Justin McCarthy induced a ground out to third to end W&J’s threat.
McCarthy picked up his second save, while Travis Renwick upped his record to 2-0 this season after tossing 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Junior right hander Randy Risch (Grove City, Pa./Grove City) took the loss on the mound for W&J after allowing five earned runs on seven hits in four-plus innings of work.
Brady knocked in three, while Peirish added a pair of RBI and McIlvaine scored two runs.
After a day off, W&J continues play in Florida against NCAA Division I Bradley on Wednesday at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale. The Presidents will be looking for their first victory against a Division I foe since 1992.
