AUBURNDALE, Fla. (March 10) – The Waynesburg University baseball team faced off with unbeaten Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for a Friday matchup at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. For a second-straight game, the Yellow Jackets erased a multi-run deficit and came away with a thrilling victory, this one coming by a 12-10 final score.
 
After a scoreless first inning, RIT (3-1) scored three times in the bottom of the second. Waynesburg (3-4) still trailed 3-0 in the top of the fourth, when it broke up the shutout. Junior Marcos Mendez (Ponce, Puerto Rico / Westminster (Md.)) singled home sophomore Seth Burgdolt (Taylorstown, Md. / McGuffey) to make the score 2-1. The next batter, freshman Hunter Hamilton (Holbrook, Pa. / West Greene), brought home run number two when he hit into a double play.
 
The Tigers got one run back in the bottom of the frame, but the Jackets managed to manufacture their third run of the contest when junior Mike Bell (Herminie, Pa. / Yough) lifted a sacrifice fly to centerfield that plated sophomore Alec Engelmore (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Shaler).
 
Momentum swung squarely back towards RIT with two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to build an 8-3 lead heading into the top of the seventh. Waynesburg counterpunched with five runs that tied the score and was a turning point of the game.
 
Engelmore led off with a walk and was followed by a single from freshman Gavin Pratt (Carmichaels, Pa. / Carmichaels). Bell singled in Engelmore, before senior Todd Burner (Parkersburg, W.Va. / Parkersburg South) brought in Pratt to make the score 8-5. Two batters later, sophomore Dalton Mount (Sykesville, Md. / Westminster) cracked an RBI double that sent Bell home and cut the Jacket deficit to 8-6. Mendez came through with a groundout that sent Burner sprinting home. Waynesburg finished the comeback when Hamilton singled in Mount.
 
The Orange and Black kept things going in the top of the eighth with three more runs that made the score 11-8. Waynesburg loaded the bases thanks to a Pratt single, a walk by Burner and Burgdolt getting hit by a pitch. Waynesburg jumped ahead 9-8 when Mount grounded out to first. The Jackets took advantage of a costly RIT error that allowed Burgdolt and Burner to cross home plate and make the score 11-8.
 
The Tigers posted their final run in the bottom of the eighth, but the Jackets answered with the game's last tally in the top of the ninth. Sophomore Tyler Sullivan (Wesley Chapel, Fla. / Wesley Chapel) walked to lead off the frame and stole second. A groundout moved Sullivan to third, who trotted home on a balk.
 
Waynesburg's final two batters of the ninth were retired, but Engelmore closed the door in the game's final half-inning with a one-two-three frame. He wrapped up the win in style with a strikeout.
 
Eight different Yellow Jackets combined to produce 12 hits in the team's third win over the past four games. Pratt and Mount logged three base knocks each. Mount doubled twice, scored twice and was one of four Waynesburg players to record two RBIs each. Bell, Mendez and Hamilton also drove in two runs.
 
Continuing with the theme of offensive balance, five Jackets scored two runs each.
 
Freshman Ethan Erhard (Greensburg, Pa. / Hempfield) got the start on the mound and gave up seven runs on eight hits and four walks. He also piled up five strikeouts over five innings of work. Engelmore got the win in relief after yielding two runs, only one of which was earned, on five hits and two walks. He tossed four strikeouts in the victory.
 
Waynesburg is scheduled to finish up its stay at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational tomorrow with a nine-inning game against Gwynedd Mercy. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m.