By Daniel Rocchi
- U of T converts stolen bases into runs twice in top of the sixth
- Ryerson fails to score on two batters hitting with the bases loaded
- Rams score first run of the season, only run of the game, in the bottom of the ninth
The Ryerson men’s baseball team fell to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues 4-1 on Saturday afternoon, losing the season opener to their crosstown rivals at Dan Lang Field at U of T’s Scarborough campus.
A two-run sixth inning for the Varsity Blues made the difference as U of T stole base twice to put runners on second. Tanner Young-Schultz and Kyle Bowers both made it to third for the Varsity Blues before a single to right field brought Young-Schultz in and Bowers converted on a passed ball by Rams catcher Jonathan Fagnola. The Rams had two hitters batting with loaded bases in the bottom of the inning, but U of T tagged a Ryerson runner at home plate before Peter Apostolopoulos fouled out to end the inning and strand three runners.
Bowers scored the opening run for U of T in the first, plating on a single to left field. He ran in his third of the game on a groundout in the eighth inning.
Apostolopoulos grounded out to bring home Jared Armstrong in the bottom of the ninth to erase the shutout. Quinn Cumming pitched eight innings for Ryerson, surrendering four hits, four runs (three earned), walking three and striking out seven.
“[They took] advantage of guys just not quite moving as fast as they needed to to lock things down,” said Rams head coach Ben Rich. “They played a good game, they played smart, they took advantage where there were little openings and they didn’t hand us anything.”
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Rams fell 16-1 to U of T.
UP NEXT: The Rams face Queen’s in a doubleheader on Sunday, September 11 at 12 pm and 3:30 pm at U of T Scarborough’s Dan Lang Field.
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