Rochester Community and Technical College opened district tournament play with a dramatic and hard-fought 13-12 loss to Alexandria Technical & Community College, followed by a 20-8 defeat against St. Cloud Technical & Community College, bringing their postseason run to a close.
In the opener against Alexandria, RCTC came out swinging and built a commanding early lead behind an explosive first two innings. The Yellowjackets plated six runs in the first, sparked by RBI singles from Matt Dollaghan and Connor Mathison, while Dylan Balazovic delivered a two-run single to highlight the inning. Conner Cullen also drove in a run, and RCTC capitalized on a balk to round out the six-run frame.
The offensive surge continued in the second inning as Sean Postula delivered a two-run single, and Christian Revilla added a sacrifice fly. Cullen picked up his second RBI of the game with another base hit, giving RCTC a 10-0 advantage after just two innings.
The Yellowjackets' lineup remained productive throughout the game, finishing with 18 hits. Mathison led the way with four hits, including three doubles, while Aiden Yochim added three hits and two runs scored. Cullen also had a strong game with three hits and two RBIs, and Revilla contributed with a home run and two RBIs. Balazovic and Postula each drove in two runs as RCTC maintained steady offensive pressure.
On the mound, Aaron Terpstra delivered an effective start, tossing three scoreless innings with five strikeouts while allowing just one hit. However, Alexandria began to chip away in the middle innings, scoring four runs in the fourth and another in the fifth to cut into the deficit.
Despite adding single runs in the sixth and seventh, including Revilla's home run and a run scoring on a wild pitch, RCTC could not fully shut down Alexandria's offense. The Legends continued to rally, scoring three runs in the seventh and five runs in ninth inning. Ethan Mueller was a key factor for Alexandria, driving in five runs and hitting a game-tying and go-ahead three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to complete the comeback and hand RCTC a tough 13-12 loss.
In their second game of the tournament, the Yellowjackets again showed early offensive production but were unable to keep pace with a powerful St. Cloud lineup. RCTC jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning and extended it with four runs in the second. Aiden Yochim drove the offense with a home run and four RBIs, while Connor Mathison and Christian Revilla both added home runs as part of an eight-run output.
RCTC finished the game with eight hits, getting contributions from Yochim, Mathison, Revilla, Sean Postula, and others. Revilla added two doubles and two RBIs, continuing his strong weekend at the plate.
However, St. Cloud responded with a decisive third inning, scoring nine runs to take control of the game. The Cyclones continued their offensive output, adding five runs in the fifth and six more in the sixth inning to build a commanding lead. RCTC's pitching staff was unable to slow the momentum, as five pitchers combined to allow 20 runs. The Jackets batted .319 for the season and averaged nearly 7 runs per game.
Despite the pair of losses, RCTC's offense showed resilience and depth throughout the tournament, totaling 26 runs across the two games. Several players delivered standout performances at the plate, demonstrating the team's ability to compete at a high level offensively.
The Yellowjackets conclude the 2026 season with an overall record of 25-18 and a southern division mark of 11-5. The Jackets advanced out of a tough Region Tournament to make it to the final four of the District Championships. The Jackets finished the season batting .319 and averaging nearly 7 runs per game.
