The RIT baseball team opened its NCAA Regional campaign on Thursday night against a formidable opponent, No.5‑ranked Rowan University, and fell 7‑5 in a game that could have swung either way.
Rowan drew first blood, striking early and extending its lead with a four‑run third inning that put pressure on the Tigers.
RIT answered in the fifth when senior infielder Trent Rapp launched a three‑run homer, trimming the deficit to 6‑4 and sparking hope among the home crowd.
The Profs, however, answered back in the sixth with an insurance run, pushing the score to 7‑4 and seemingly sealing the game.
A single by Rapp in the eighth inning brought the Tigers within two, but the rally stalled as RIT left ten runners on base throughout the contest.
Overall, RIT managed ten hits but could not convert them into runs, a costly inefficiency that proved decisive.
On the mound, sophomore right‑hander Ryan Moran took the start and surrendered six runs over five innings, while graduate reliever Ryan Merkov closed out the game with 2.2 scoreless frames.
Key Performances
Mikey Zacher contributed a 2‑for‑3 effort, adding a double, two runs scored and a walk, while Rapp finished the night with a home run and four RBIs.
RIT moved to 24‑14 on the season and will now face an elimination game on Sunday at 11 a.m. at Ed Flaherty Field, where a win will keep their tournament hopes alive.