Rochester sweeps four-game series from Western Tech with dominant offensive display
Rochester Community and Technical College put together one of its most complete weekends of the season, sweeping a four-game series against Western Technical College on May 1–2 with decisive wins of 11–1, 13–1, 11–1, and 13–1. The Yellowjackets combined consistent pitching, aggressive baserunning, and relentless offense to overwhelm Western Tech in every phase of the game.
The series opened Friday with Rochester jumping out early and never looking back in an 11–1 victory. Chase Horstman anchored the opener on the mound, allowing just two hits over five shutout innings while striking out three to earn his fifth win of the season. Offensively, Rochester got contributions throughout the lineup, scoring in four different innings. Conner Cullen set the tone with a pair of doubles and three RBIs, while Aiden Yochim added a three‑RBI double in a six‑run fifth inning that broke the game open. Rochester drew eight walks in the contest and capitalized on Western pitching struggles to pull away late.
Game two was even more lopsided as Rochester exploded for six runs in the first inning and never slowed down, cruising to a 13–1 win. Gussie Maynard delivered the knockout blow early, launching a three‑run home run in the opening frame as part of a five‑RBI performance. Derek Encarnacion also played a major role, driving in three runs while reaching base multiple times during a relentless offensive start. Aaron Terpstra was dominant on the hill, scattering five hits over five innings while striking out eight and allowing just one earned run. Rochester scored in three straight innings to put the game out of reach before Western Tech could recover.
Saturday's action shifted to Western Technical College, but the venue change did nothing to slow Rochester's momentum. In the opener of the doubleheader, Rochester posted an 11–1 victory behind strong all‑around play. The Yellowjackets scored three runs in the second inning, added two more in the third, and continued to tack on runs in the fourth and fifth. Maynard continued his hot weekend, collecting two hits and two RBIs, while Sean Postula delivered a clutch two‑run double late. On the mound, Aiden Yochim helped himself both ways, tossing five strong innings with seven strikeouts while also homering to center field for a two‑run shot that extended Rochester's lead. Western Tech was held to four hits, with its lone run coming on a solo homer in the fourth.
The series finale followed a similar script as Rochester completed the sweep with a 13–1 win. The Yellowjackets struck quickly with five runs in the first inning, highlighted by a leadoff home run from Derek Encarnacion and a two‑run blast from Sean Postula. Rochester added insurance with a two‑run homer from Matt Dollaghan in the fourth before putting the game away with a six‑run fifth inning. Dollaghan delivered the final blow, launching his second home run of the game — a three‑run shot — to cap a five‑RBI afternoon. Rochester finished with four home runs in the contest and 10 total hits. Koda Sanders earned the win, allowing one run over 4.2 innings while limiting Western Tech to just three hits.
Across the four games, Rochester's offense was relentless, scoring 48 runs while holding Western Tech to just four. The Yellowjackets consistently pressured the defense with aggressive baserunning, drawing walks, and capitalizing on errors. Encarnacion, Dollaghan, Maynard, Postula, Yochim, and Cullen each had multiple key moments, combining power and situational hitting throughout the series. On the pitching side, Rochester starters set the tone early in each game, allowing the offense to play from in front and control tempo.
With the sweep, Rochester improved its conference record to 11-5 as they set their sights on the opening weekend of the Region Tournament in St. Cloud.
