Rochester Community and Technical College baseball earned a split with Century College on Friday, April 10, at RCTC, dropping a competitive opener 5–3 before rallying for an 8–7 comeback victory in the nightcap.
Game 1: Century 5, RCTC 3
Century scored early and held off a late Yellowjackets push to take the opener despite a strong relief effort from Matt Dollaghan. The Wood Ducks jumped out in the first inning when Ayden Jensen scored on a groundout, then added three more runs in the second behind a bases-loaded walk and a two-run single by Jack Erickson to go ahead 4–0.
RCTC began chipping away in the fourth. Aiden Yochim reached and came home on a Jerry Fletcher double to center field to put the Yellowjackets on the board. Momentum continued in the fifth as Grayson DeClue scored on a bases-loaded walk by Connor Mathison, and Fletcher followed with an RBI fielder's choice to cut the deficit to one.
Dollaghan kept RCTC within striking distance, throwing five strong innings of relief and allowing just one run while striking out four. Century added an insurance run in the seventh on an RBI single by Lawson Ness, sealing the 5–3 result.
Fletcher led the offense with two RBI, while DeClue went 2-for-3 and scored a run.
Game 2: RCTC 8, Century 7
The Yellowjackets responded in dramatic fashion in Game 2, using a pair of four-run innings to erase an early deficit and earn the split.
Century plated four runs over the first two innings, capitalizing on timely hitting and a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded. Trailing 4–0, RCTC broke through in the fourth inning when Fletcher doubled home Aiden Yochim. Gussie Maynard followed with an RBI single, and Sean Postula tied the game with a two-run home run to left field, igniting the comeback.
RCTC took control in the fifth with another four-run frame. Dylan Balazovic delivered a two-run single, followed by RBI base hits from Grayson DeClue and Conner Cullen as the Yellowjackets surged ahead 8–4.
Century made things interesting in the sixth, scoring three unearned runs to cut the margin to one, but the RCTC bullpen held firm down the stretch. Koda Sanders closed the door in the seventh to earn his third save of the season.
Chase Horstman picked up the win, battling through 5.1 innings and allowing three earned runs while striking out three.
Seven different Yellowjackets recorded hits in the win, with Postula finishing 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI, while Balazovic drove in two more.
The split moved RCTC to 12–9 overall and 1–1 in conference play as the Yellowjackets continue to build momentum early in the season.