Rochester, N.Y. - One run is all that would separate the sides in game two as the Clarkson University Baseball team split a doubleheader with University of Rochester, gaining an 8-4 win in game one before dropping the nightcap 1-0, to close out the 2026 season.
Clarkson draws to a close at 17-17 overall, finishing 7-11 in the Liberty League while the Yellowjackets finish 14-21 overall, 7-13 in conference play.
With Aidan Kuefner and James Mason reaching to kickstart proceedings, Clarkson jumped out to an early lead as Nolan Merrow would drive a single through the right side in the third at bat of the afternoon, bringing Kuefner around from second and putting a one up in the visitors-half of the first. David Harris then singled to load the bases with no outs before Joe Figliolino connected on a sacrifice fly to right to make it 2-0 as Mason would score from third. Beau Vardion then tacked on another with a one-out double just inside the right field line to bring Merrow in from second, capping off a dreamy start to game one for the Knights.
After University of Rochester got one back in the bottom of the second, Clarkson would go for three more in the top half of the third despite hitting into a double play. Harris and Figliolino led off the inning with back-to-back singles before the Yellowjacket infield turned two looking to strand Harris at third. CJ Cartier countered with an infield single however, as Harris would score to reinstate the three-run advantage while James Chagnon would keep the inning going with a single of his own to center right after. With runners at first and second and two outs, Seth Albert would connect on a triple to left field that would reach the wall, scoring both runners to make it 6-1.
Vardion kept the scoring going in the top of the fourth for the Golden Knights as the junior collected his own extra-base hit with a double down the left field line that would plate both Merrow and Figliolino who had doubled and walked just before.
With the lead now at 8-1, Rochester managed to provide a bit of an answer in the home-half of the sixth with two singles and a double, as they looked to chip away. The Clarkson defense would keep the hosts out of the scoring column through till the bottom of the ninth however, as the Yellowjackets would manage a sacrifice fly of their own but only be able to halve the deficit as the Knights would take game one, 8-4.
Jacob Shirley would go six innings on the mound in the win for Clarkson, giving up seven hits while striking out five. In relief, Ryan Petrie collected the long-distance save, tossing two strikeouts through three frames. Merrow, Harris, Vardion and Albert all closed out game one with two hits apiece at the dish as Vardion led the team with three RBIs. Cartier drew two walks as well while the Knights were a bit wasteful, stranding 12 runners.
Game two would turn out to be a much more low scoring affair as Rochester would open with one run in the bottom of the first following a leadoff single. After reaching, Teddy Monahan advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before stealing third with one gone in the frame. Jake Bentivenga would step up for the hosts to hit a towering fly to center that would score Monahan, making it 1-0 Yellowjackets.
Clarkson would look dangerous in the top of the third as Kuefner and Mason would produce back-to-back singles to the outfield to occupy first and second with one out. Rochester would get exactly what they needed in the next at bat though, forcing a groundball in the infield that turned into a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the inning.
The top of the sixth provided similar action for the Golden Knights on the basepaths when Merrow and Vardion both singled before Chagnon drew a five-pitch walk to load the bases with two-down. That would bring up Cartier for Clarkson as the team lurked dangerously close to tying the contest or even flipping the advantage on the scoreboard. Zach Herzog would force a first-pitch pop-up to center though, getting the Yellowjackets back into the dugout with that precious lead still intact.
Rochester would strand one runner in the bottom of the seventh which accounted for the sole base runner through the remainder of the after, as a groundout, pop-fly and foul-grab in the top of the ninth, sealed the 1-0 final and the doubleheader split.
Kuefner, Mason, Merrow, Vardion and Chagnon all had a single hit for Clarkson who, despite the loss, received a six-inning, three strikeout performance from Nathan Hartley as the junior would give up just two hits. Tommy DiFranco and Jason McGee would also both go an inning on the mound for Clarkson in relief.
