Rochester, N.Y.. – The SUNY Poly baseball team fought hard in a back-and-forth contest but ultimately fell to St. John Fisher 9–5 on Wednesday afternoon. With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 8-6 on the season. 

HOW IT HAPPENED:

St. John Fisher jumped out early in the first inning. Ryan Vanderlip singled and eventually scored on an RBI single by Austin Droge after a series of miscues and an error by first base, giving the Cardinals a 1–0 lead.

SUNY Poly responded in the top of the second. Zach Place walked and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Chris Baker to tie the game at 1–1. However, St. John Fisher regained the lead in the bottom half when Hunter Fales connected for a solo home run, making it 2–1.

The third inning saw both teams exchange runs. Quinn Hill scored for SUNY Poly on a wild pitch, evening the score at 2–2. St. John Fisher capitalized on defensive miscues in their half, scoring three unearned runs and taking a 5–2 advantage.

SUNY Poly cut into the deficit in the fourth inning. Jackson Mackenzie walked and later scored on a wild pitch, bringing the Wildcats to 3–5. But St. John Fisher exploded for five runs in the bottom of the fourth, aided by a combination of walks, a balk, and a hit-by-pitch, extending their lead to 8–3.

The middle innings featured strong pitching on both sides. SUNY Poly managed only one baserunner in the fifth and one in the sixth, while the Cardinals were held scoreless from the fifth through the seventh.

In the top of the ninth, SUNY Poly rallied. Derek Menechino singled, and Quinn Hill followed with a single to put runners on the corners. Pinch hitter Mike Lazaridis drove in Menechino before a wild pitch allowed Hill to score, cutting the deficit to 9–5. However, the Cardinals' bullpen shut the door in the bottom half, securing the final outs and the 9–5 win.