Potsdam, N.Y. - Jacob Shirley would toss a nine strikeout, one walk, complete game as the Clarkson University Baseball team took the weekend series opener against University of Rochester, 8-1 on Friday afternoon.
Extending the current win streak to five games, Clarkson improves to 16-10 overall, 7-6 in league play as the team hones in on the postseason chase, closing the series with the Yellowjackets on Saturday. Rochester falls to 10-16 overall, 3-10 in the Liberty League.
With a double and bunted single to start the top half of the contest, the visitors looked almost certain to break into the scoring column first as the back-to-back at bats placed runners on the corners before the first out of the afternoon. Despite the early pressure, Shirley fought back with a strikeout, pick-off at first and another strikeout to get out of the jam, one of the few the hurler faced throughout the game.
The Knights broke into the lead first in the bottom of the third due to a series of errors from the Yellowjacket defense. Aidan Kuefner singled to kick off the frame before moving to second on a passed ball. The visitors got the first two outs through two pop-ups but a botched pickoff attempt to second was made worse by the center fielder missing the throw on the backup which allowed Kuefner to score the opening run.
With Shirley continuing to deal on the mound, the Clarkson offense would piece together some momentum in the bottom of the fifth, adding four more in the half inning. Following the first out, Nolan Merrow ripped a single up the middle before moving to third as David Harris would double off the center field fence in the next at bat. James Mason kept the streak going with a double of his own through the left side that scored both runners and kept the pressure on Rochester. A throwing error from the shortstop that bounced past the first baseman allowed Mason to score and CJ Cartier to occupy second until Beau Vardion snuck a double down the left field line to plate Cartier and make it 5-0 Clarkson.
The Yellowjackets finally found an answer to the Clarkson defense in the top of the eighth as a double by Carlos Barajas with two outs was followed by a sharp hit ball through the right side by Teddy Monahan that scored Barajas and cut the deficit to 5-1.
Clarkson provided an immediate response in the bottom half of the inning with Joe Figliolino doubling and James Chagnon wearing a pitch to the wrist to start the frame. A wild pitch advanced both runners to second and third before another throwing error by the Yellowjackets' infield allowed both Figliolino and Chagnon to cross and push the lead back up to 7-1. A single off the bat from Merrow along with Harris and Mason both being hit by pitches meant Kuefner would be able to jog across home to add another insurance run as the Knights entered the ninth up 8-1.
With the chance to complete the afternoon on the mound, Shirley would force a pop-up to start the inning before responding to a single from Jake Goldberg with two more force pop-ups to seal the win for Clarkson.
The win is the third in a row for Shirley who improves to 4-3 on the year now. At the plate, Merrow and Vardion both would finish with two hits apiece as Vardion would also drive in a run. Kuefner, Mason, Harris, Figliolino, James Chagnon and Seth Albert accounted for the remainder of the Knights offense at the plate with a single hit each while Mason led the team with three runs batted in on the afternoon.
Barajas was the lone Yellowjacket with a multi-hit outing, finishing with two of the team's seven hits. Andrew Lenhard was handed the loss as the starter, striking out one while allowing three hits across four innings.
