ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Russell Sage College baseball picked up its program best tenth Empire 8 conference win this afternoon at St. John Fisher. The victory gives the Gators the best winning percentage in the Empire 8.
The Gators (17-13/10-2 E8) put up seven runs in the eighth inning to secure the 9-7 win. Eleven straight Gator batters reached base in the victory clinching frame.
RBI Singles by junior outfielder Jared Russell (Colonie, NY/Colonie), junior outfielder Brendan Espinal (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa), outfielder James Lubanski (Port Washington, NY/Paul D. Schreiber), a grad student, and junior infielder Nick Marsella (New Hyde Park, NY/New Hyde Park Memorial) each hit RBI singles in the dominant frame. Russell and Marsella each brought home a pair with their knocks.
Espinal, Russell, and junior infielder Zachary Figueras (Apopka, FL/Windermere) all registered two singles in the victory. Junior outfielder Evan Grimes (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) and junior infielder Jeff Stearnes (Vergennes, VT/Vergennes Union) each added a single to the hit column.
Gators arms combined to punchout six Cardinals, four from starter pitcher Joe Degroot (Clay, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse), a grad student, in six innings of work. Junior Isaac Brown (Troy, NY/Troy) got the win with a scoreless frame, and Matthew Denatale (Rhinebeck, NY/Rhinebeck), a grad student, registered the save with his two scoreless halves to conclude the victory.
St. John Fisher University (16-17/12-3 E8) nearly put the game away before the Gators' huge inning by way of a grand slam off the bat of Jackson Frey. Brian Norsen and Nick Lemire each had two hits and a RBI in the loss.
Looking ahead, RSC kicks off a weekend Empire 8 series at Keuka on Saturday with a doubleheader.
Gator Bites: Now its third season as a program, RSC looks to continue to climb the Empire 8 Conference ladder in 2024…The Gators, which returned all 10 starters, were the runner-up in the 2023 E8 Championship Tournament…Outfielder James Lubanski (Port Washington, NY/Paul D. Schreiber), a grad student, and junior pitcher Liam Doyle (West Sayville, NY/Connetquot) headline the returnees…Lubanski was named third-team All-Region by the American Baseball Coaches Association, while Doyle, a righty, topped RSC in innings pitched and ERA last spring…Junior outfielder Brendan Espinal (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) was selected the Empire 8 Conference Player of the Week for the period ending Sunday, March 10…He slashed .559/.941/.595 during the team's Florida trip…Espinal totaled 12 runs scored, 10 RBI, 32 bases, and six doubles across the nine games. Junior outfielder Jared Russell (Colonie, NY/Colonie) set the single season and career standard in stolen bases in 2024 while Lubanski broke both the single season and career standards in runs batted in.
Gator Golf: The 19th Annual Gator Golf Classic will be held May 31, 2024. More Information: https://www.
