RCTC Opens Spring Break with Strong 3–Game Start
Rochester Community and Technical College launched its spring‑break slate with an impressive 3–0 stretch, combining timely offense and solid pitching, sweep a pair from Ocean County College and pick up a good win against Northampton Community College. Across the three contests, the Yellowjackets outscored opponents 23–8, showcasing a balanced attack and increasingly steady mound work.
Game 1: RCTC 11, Ocean County 2
After falling behind 2–0 through three innings, RCTC erupted for 11 unanswered runs, turning a slow start into a commanding run‑rule victory.
Brayden Peterson anchored the win, tossing 5 strong innings while allowing just four hits and two earned runs. He settled in after early bumps striking out four. Sam Johnston closed the final two frames without allowing a run, sealing the combined five‑hitter.
Offensively, the Yellowjackets exploded in the fourth and fifth innings. Jerry Fletcher sparked the offense with a 3‑run performance, including two hits, two RBI, and two stolen bases. The biggest swing came off the bat of Connor Mathison, who delivered a towering three‑run homer as part of a team‑high 4 RBI day.
A seven‑run fifth inning blew the game open, fueled by RBI contributions from Fletcher, Mathison, Gussie Maynard, and Aiden Yochim. In total, RCTC scored 10 of its 11 runs from the fourth inning onward, capitalizing on seven walks and three hit batters to take full control.
Game 2: RCTC 3, Northampton 0
In the best pitching performance of the early season, Aaron Terpstra threw a complete‑game shutout, allowing six hits, striking out six, and walking none. He needed just 91 pitches to finish seven innings, working efficiently and confidently against a strong Northampton lineup.
The game was tight throughout as the Jackets lead 1–0 into the seventh inning, with both teams trading scoreless frames behind sharp starting pitching. RCTC broke through in the third when Derek Encarnacion reached and later scored on an RBI single by Nate Vaughn.
With the margin razor‑thin, the Yellowjackets manufactured two critical insurance runs in the seventh. Aiden Yochim scored on a sacrifice fly from Dylan Balazovic, and moments later Encarnacion delivered again—singling home Connor Mathison to extend the lead to 3–0.
The defense behind Terpstra was flawless, playing a clean error‑free game and making key plays to strand Northampton runners in scoring position multiple times. It marked RCTC's sharpest all‑around performance of the trip.
Game 3: RCTC 9, Ocean County 6
In a rematch with Ocean, RCTC found itself in an early 4–0 hole after a rocky top of the first. But the Yellowjackets responded immediately with a three‑run inning of their own, then posted a decisive five‑run second inning to flip momentum.
The comeback began with chaos on the bases: a wild pitch plated one run, and a double‑steal moments later brought home another. Yochim then reached on an error that scored Gussie Maynard, cutting the deficit to 4–3.
In the second inning, RBI from Mathison, a sacrifice fly by Fletcher, and aggressive base‑running helped RCTC surge ahead. The highlight came when Maynard crushed a two‑run homer, giving the Yellowjackets an 8–4 lead they never relinquished.
Maynard was tremendous—going 2-for-2 with two RBI, three runs, and two stolen bases—while Mathison reached base three times and added another RBI. Sean Postula chipped in with two hits and a run scored.
On the mound, Chase Horstman settled in well after the rough first, throwing a complete game while allowing just three earned runs over seven innings. He struck out three and induced steady weak contact to keep Ocean off balance.
After a day off on Monday, the Jackets will take on Middlesex College on Tuesday, followed by a pair of games on Wednesday.
