PHILADELPHIA, Pa.-- Graduate student
Dominic Proietto (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) launched two long balls, while
Antonio Rossillo (Warrington, Pa./Archbishop Wood) and
Jason Wolff (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) added a homer each, as the Kutztown University baseball team's (12-12, 6-10 PSAC East) comeback bid fell just short in a 12-9 loss on the road at Jefferson (20-10, 8-4 CACC) in Philadelphia Tuesday afternoon.
Jefferson got going early and did not let up, amassing a 9-0 lead after four innings thanks to a seven-run output in the fourth. Brennan Rozich (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) got KU on the board in the top of the fifth with an RBI single that scored Colin Kelly (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) to make it 9-1. The Rams added another run in the fifth to extend the lead to 10-1.
From that point forward, the KU offense found its groove. With two out in the top of the sixth, Proietto and Rossillo hit back-to-back solo shots to make it 10-3. Joey Pettinelli's (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) RBI double and a Jimmy Kerley (Indian Trail, N.C./Sun Valley) RBI single cut the lead to just five in the next frame. The Rams bounced back to extend the lead back out to 12-5 entering the ninth.
Rozich and Ethan Martini (Trevose, Pa./Father Judge) got on base to start the final frame and were immediately sent across the plate thanks to a three-run home run from Wolff to make it 12-8. In the next at-bat, Proietto stepped up to the plate and hit his second home run of the game to cut the lead to just three. It was the second back-to-back home runs by KU in the contest. After that, the Rams changed pitchers and retired the final two Golden Bears to stave off the comeback.
Wolff ended with three RBI, while Proietto ended with two hits and two RBI. Rozich, Kerley, Rossillo, and Pettinelli had an RBI each. Rozich also ended with three hits while Rossillo had two.
Cody Barberio (Green Lane, Pa./Quakertown) got the start and went three innings while striking out three. AJ Torres (Blandon, Pa./Fleetwood), Tyler Cleveland (Pillow, Pa./Upper Dauphin), and Abel Saft (Kintnersville, Pa./Moravian Academy) all saw action in relief. Aiden Barbour earned the win for the Rams.
