The Tigers (2-0) scored the first four goals of the game, led 6-1 at the half, then outscored Bates 7-3 in the third quarter to blow the game open. The Bobcats (0-1) rallied to scored the game's last five goals.

Dawson Tait scored five goals with two assists for RIT, and Ryan Barnable added three goals and four assists for the 2019 NCAA semifinalists. Spencer Bell contributed three goals and four ground balls. Nick Montemorano was dominant on faceoffs, winning 13-of-18 to help RIT to a 17-10 advantage in that category.

Junior Jack Scribner (Falmouth, Maine) paced the Bates offense with two goals and two assists, while junior Jack Vinci (Washington Township, N.J.) added two goals.

Bates senior goalie Rob Strain (Montclair, N.J.) made 19 saves and allowed 14 goals. The senior drew a one-minute penalty in the first quarter and was replaced temporarily by first-year Robert MacLeod (Medfield, Mass.), who made one save and allowed a man-up goal in 35 seconds of action.

The Tigers led 6-1 to start the third quarter, but quickly expanded the lead with two goals in the opening minute, with Barnable assisting Bell and then scoring on a Tait assist seconds after the ensuing faceoff.

Scribner scored at the 9:52 mark to narrow the lead, but a minute later a Bates player was assessed a three-minute, non-releasable penalty. RIT capitalized with four goals during the extended man-up opportunity, putting the game out of reach at 12-2. Barnable answered a goal by Bates junior Steven Canale (North Andover, Mass.) with one of his own at 1:27, and with 25 seconds remaining, Scribner scored on an assist by Jack Golden to make it 13-4 entering the final quarter.

Barnable and Tait added one more goal apiece in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter before Bates ended the game with five unanswered scores, by senior Sean Clark (Mill Valley), Vinci, sophomore Max Kim (Woodland Hills, Calif.), a man-up goal by sophomore Oliver Allen (Portsmouth, N.H.) with 2:19 to go and first-year Will Schinabeck (Shaker Heights, Ohio) 11 seconds after that.

Bates struggled with turnovers and clearing the ball, giving the ball away 30 times and successfully clearing on 13-of-23 opportunities.

The Tigers were 25-28 on clears, outshot Bates 56-28 and had a 44-19 advantage in ground balls. The three-minute penalty allowed the Tigers to score five man-up goals on six opportunities, while Bates converted on 2-of-8 extra-man chances.

RIT goalie Walker Hare made six saves and allowed four goals in 52 minutes of action. Drew Hutchison made two saves and allowed five goals in the final eight minutes.

Bates will host Babson Wednesday at 4pm; RIT will play at Nazareth Wednesday at 3pm.