After a difficult start to the season, it appears that the UR baseball team is turning things around. After beginning with a 3-9 overall record, the Yellowjackets went 3-2 this week, 3-1 in league play. With this weeks success, the team has moved into a first place tie within the Liberty League, sharing the top spot with St. Lawrence University.
On March 28, the team lost to SUNY Brockport, 5-1. The game was kept close early with solid pitching by senior Steve Foley, who held it scoreless until the sixth, but Brockport broke through with five hits in the inning and were aided by a costly error committed by UR.
Over the weekend, the Yellowjackets played four games against St. Lawrence in double twin bills. The first game was played with solid pitching and excellent hitting by the Yellowjackets, leading to a 13-6 win.
Freshman Blair Veenema pitched five strong innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out seven. Senior Dan Pfohl and freshman Dan Brien led the hitting attack with Pfohl going 2-2 with two runs scored and two more driven in and Brien going 2-3 with three RBIs and another run scored.
In the second game of the doubleheader, the team completed the sweep with an 11-3 crushing. Sophomore Pete McEneaney pitched a complete game, allowing three runs and five hits. He added six strikeouts during an excellent nine inning pitching performance.
After St. Lawrence struck first with a run in the first inning, UR came back in a big way. Pfohl helped out big again, with a 2-4 performance with two doubles and three RBIs. Sophomore Dan Price added a 3-5 showing, including a home run and three RBIs.
The team lost the first game of their second doubleheader of the weekend, 4-1. The St. Lawrence pitching was very strong that day and the offense had very few opportunities to get runners across the plate. Foley kept the game close with a quality outing. However, it wasn’t enough to keep the offense close.
UR finished out the weekend of games with an 8-3 win. Sophomore pitcher John Fishback had a spectacular day on the mound, pitching eight innings of three-run ball while striking out nine. The offense was paced by Devin Shane, who went 3-5 with a double and three RBIs. Sophomore Dave Kloc, added a 3-5 day, including a double and an RBI.
With the offense seemingly running on all cylinders – scoring 33 runs over four games – the pitching working effectively and 16 runs allowed over the same span – the team seems to be well in midseason form. Already in first place, the team looks to add to its lead in the standings with games this week against St. John Fisher College and four games against Union College.
All the games this week are at home, where the team holds a 3-1 record this season. Look for a big lead next week in the standings for UR baseball.
Goff can be reached at sgoff@campustimes.org.
