The Saints got strong pitching performances and timely scoring as the St. Lawrence University baseball team swept RIT with a pair of 6-5 wins on Sunday in Clinton, N.Y. on the campus of Hamilton College.

St. Lawrence improved to 7-6 on the year in the sweep and 2-2 in Liberty League play, while RIT fell to 8-10 and 2-3 in league action.

Game one: St. Lawrence 6, RIT 5 (9 Innings)

After a scoreless top of the first, the Saints jumped on the Tigers with three runs in the bottom half of the first.

Mike Siano led off the effort, being hit by a pitch, and was moved to third on a Jack Finnegan double. Eddie Morrissey brought Siano around to score on a groundout to shortstop, and John Gannon made it a 2-0 game, singling home Finnegan. A two-out walk to John Donnelan led to the third run as an error on a double steal brought Gannon home for the 3-0 lead.

RIT got one of those runs back in the top of the second, when Roberto Reade hit a leadoff home run to make it 3-1.

The Scarlet and Brown once again hung three runs on the board in the bottom of the second, and the inning was led by Ethan Harris, who scorched a single through the left side. He was moved over by a walk to Nolan Widrick, and they both advanced on a double-steal to put two runners in scoring position. A fielder's choice brought Harris home, and two at-bats later, Gannon delivered with a two-RBI single with two outs to give the Saints the 6-1 edge.

The Tigers chipped in another run again at the top of the third as they doubled home Jarin Moses, who earned his way aboard with a walk.

The offense ran dry after the run, and the next came in the eighth inning when a leadoff walk to RIT's Evan Kurtz, who came around to score off an RBI-single to make it 6-3. Nathan Jackson ended the threat, however, to keep the three-run edge.

The game went into the top of the ninth, and RIT went on the offensive to attempt a comeback. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with one out away, and a sacrifice fly made it a two-run game. The Tigers then singled through the left side to make it 6-5, but an overaggressive base running mistake ended the game at 6-5.

David Zuhlsdorf started the game on the bump and went 4.1 innings, striking out four batters on four hits and two earned. Joshua Polumbo came in for the next three innings, allowing just three hits, and earned the win. Jackson was tasked with the final 1.2 innings in the win.

Game two: St. Lawrence 6, RIT 5 (9 Innings)

The Saints jumped out ahead of the Tigers again in game two of the twin bill and took a three-run lead in the bottom of the second. Landman got things going with a single, and Donnellan worked his way to the base paths with a walk. From there, it was the Harris show as the third baseman hammered a 2-1 fastball over the wall in right-center to make it 3-0.

St. Lawrence doubled the lead to 6-5 in the bottom of the third, and this time it was Gannon, who started the attack by being hit by a pitch. Eddie and Eoin Morrissey each earned their way aboard to load the paths. Donnellan hit a sacrifice fly to score the first run, then a wild pitch scored a second run. Harris ended the barrage with an RBI double to balloon the lead to 6-0.

In the top of the fourth, RIT cut the lead in half with a three-run homer of their own as it went to 6-3. The Tigers continued to chip away, hitting a solo home run and a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth to make it 6-5.

Joe LaPrade, who started on the hill, kept it a 6-5 game through the eighth innings, setting up Michael Flyzik in the top of the ninth. The hurler forced a weak grounder, struck a batter out, and forced a groundout to second base to earn the save and secure the win.

LaPrade got the win, pitching eight innings and striking out seven batters, while Flyzik secured his first save of the season.

The Saints and Tigers will both head north to play game three of the series tomorrow at Tom Fay Field at 1 p.m.