GENEVA, N.Y. -- Four different Bobcats found the back of the net Saturday as Bates College opened the 2023 men's lacrosse campaign at #2 Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in non-conference action. The contest was played on Stiles Field at the Thomas B. Poole '61 and Family Sports Dome on the campus of Hobart College.

The host-Tigers tamed the Bobcats, 22-10, to move to 2-0 on the young season. Bates, taking the field for the first time under the tutelage of new head coach Dan Annino, go to 0-1.

Malcolm Klingbeil (Powell, Ohio) provided the garnet-and-white an initial 1-0 lead as the senior captain poured in his first goal of the year 5:57 into the game. RIT responded by accounting for five of the period's remaining six tallies to register a 5-2 lead after one quarter of play.

Bates climbed to within two after sending in three of the first four goals of the second. Leading 7-5 with 7:03 remaining in the first half, the Tigers pounced with a 7-0 run to break open affair, 14-5, at the 11:50 mark of the third frame.

Another 5-0 push by RIT overlapped the third and fourth quarter as the home team padded its cushion to 20-8 with 6:56 left in regulation.

15 different Tigers found the back of the net in the victory, paced by Luke Pilcher and his four goals and six total points.

Despite the outcome, Denzel Evans (So.-Baltimore, Md.), Alex Horowitz (Jr.-Manhattan Beach, Calif.), and Klingbeil each tallied a pair of goals apiece for the Bobcats. Connor Hartman (Fy.-Hingham, Mass.), making his collegiate debut for Bates, also registered two goals.

Kyle Burbank, playing the first 38:24 in net for RIT, collected the victory with a pair of saves on the day. Garrett FitzSimons (Sr.-Garden City, N.Y.) did all he could in his 55:04 in frame, gathering 17 saves for the Bobcats. The Tigers out-shot their guest, 61-22, with a 41-14 advantage on frame.

The Bobcats now prepare to host #14 Wesleyan University next Saturday (March 4) for the garnet and white's NESCAC opener. Start time is set for 1:00 p.m. on Garcelon Field.