BROCKPORT, N.Y. – The Brockport baseball team split their doubleheader with RIT this afternoon, dropping the first game in extra innings before bouncing back to take game two 5-1. The Golden Eagles now sit at 21-15 on the season, with four games left in the regular season.
 
Game 1: L, 7-6 (10 innings)
This seven inning game ended up going ten full, as the teams were back-and-forth throughout. Both offenses got off to hot starts, starting with the Tigers who registered two runs in the top of the first.
 
In the bottom half of the inning, Brockport put together a monster inning, scoring five runs on four hits. Mike D'Eletto got things started with a leadoff double down the left field line, and was brought home after two straight singles from Austin Hall and Lou Miceli. After Matt Van Allen drew a walk to load the bases, Tom Kretzler knocked the big blow of the inning, a bases clearing triple deep in the right-centerfield gap. Luke Gilbert had the final RBI of the inning in the next at-bat, grounding out to the second baseman and allowing Kretzler to score from third.
 
RIT would claw back, scoring two more in the third and one in the fifth to knot the game at five runs apiece. They went ahead in the top of the eighth with a solo homer, putting the pressure on Brockport to score one of their own to extend the game.
 
With two outs in the inning and runners on first and second, Joe Bender got a pinch hit chance, and came through in the clutch, lining an RBI single to left center that scored Gilbert from second. Nik Malachowski nearly walked it off during the next at-bat, but the right fielder made a running catch near the foul line to further extend the game.
 
After RIT scored another run in the top of the tenth, Brockport had a chance to tie or take the lead once again when they put two runners on with just one out in the inning. The Tiger pitcher was up to the challenge however, retiring the next two Golden Eagle hitters to seal the deal in game one.
 
Game 2: W, 5-1
Game two was never in question, as the Brockport pitching staff shut down the Tiger lineup, allowing just three hits in the contest. D'Eletto got the start and win, pitching the first four innings without allowing a run.
 
Avery Brooks had three RBI's in the game, starting in the second inning when he sliced a double down the right field line that allowed Gilbert and Malachowski to score, giving Brockport a 2-0 lead. He added another in the bottom of the fourth, knocking a two-out single up the middle to extend the lead to 4-0.
 
Brockport recorded their fifth run in the bottom of the fifth when Bender ripped a single through the left side allowing the speedy AJ Sgroi to score from second.
 
Noah Dilbone, Jimmy Lovelass, and Brendan Heywood split the final three innings of work, combining to allow just one run on two hits. Dilbone faced the minimum in his inning of work, and added a strikeout.
 
Brockport will have an off day tomorrow before starting a three game set at home against New Paltz. Having already clinched a SUNYAC playoff berth, a sweep would give the Golden Eagles a chance at the top seed in the coming tournament.
 
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