Box Score | Tournament Page

TROY, N.Y. - A five-run third inning was the key difference-maker as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) topped Rochester 5-1 in today's Liberty League Tournament game. With the win, the Engineers advance to tomorrow's championship game, where they will look for revenge against Ithaca.

After coming on in relief in the game against Ithaca earlier in the day, sophomore Jamie Cleasby returned to the circle to face off against Rochester's Hannah Leahy.

Through the first two innings, the only two hits of the game came courtesy of Rochester bats.

Steph Cavallero led off the Rensselaer half of the third with a walk. Senior Rebecca Kienz came up next and hit a ball back at the pitcher, who sailed the throw to first out of play, moving Cavallero to third and Kienz to second with no one out. Sophomore Veronica DeStefano followed Kienz's example and hit a ball back to Leahy in the circle. Leahy hesitated on her throw to home and did not throw the ball anywhere, scoring Cavallaro and putting Kienz at third and DeStefano at first.

The first run of the game suspended Leahy's outing in the circle. She did re-entered the game in the seventh inning, finishing with three innings pitched, three runs (two earned), one hit, two walks, and a strikeout. Leahy was given the loss, putting her record at 10-10.

Elizabeth Bourne came on in relief of Leahy, and Victoria Greco was her first batter faced. Greco smashed a ball off the first baseman Alexis Pope's glove, and just outside the infield. Greco made it to second and Kienz and DeStefano both scored, making it a 3-0 game.

Sophomore Cam Caswell, who hit a solo home run in the Ithaca game earlier in the day, pounded a ball to the left-center gap and she ended up safe on second after the left fielder Michaela Farmer bobbled the ball, and Greco scored on the play to increase RPI's lead to 4-0, with still no one out.

After a Christine White fly out to right, Allie Hunt sent a single through the right side, which advanced Caswell to third. During Maddie Provencher's at-bat, Hunt took off for second, and made it safely, while White scored on the throw down to make it 5-0 Engineers.

Devan Puhl then hit a ball through the third baseman Lydia Petricca's legs, giving the YellowJackets their fourth error of the game, as Hunt made it to third safely. Steph Cavallaro, who started the inning, struck out to end a five-run third inning.

The game settled down offensively from there, with the Engineers coming close again in the fourth and fifth innings, but no runners crossing the plate.

The YellowJackets threatened in the bottom of the sixth, after things got started with a one-out double for Gianna Melillo. Lydia Petricca walked and Alexis Pope singled to load the bases with one out. Leahy, Rochester's starting pitcher, pinch-hit for Bourne, the relief pitcher, and she sent a flyball to left center, which was deep enough to score Melillo from third. Haberly Kahn, who pinch-ran for Petricca, was thrown out at third to end the inning.

Leahy re-entered the circle for the top of the seventh, ending Bourne's day. Bourne pitched four innings of relief and allowed two earned runs, seven hits, no walks, and two strikeouts.

In the bottom of the seventh, Cleasby retired the YellowJackets in order, sealing a 5-1 victory for the one-seed Engineers.

Cleasby (9-4), who pitched three innings of relief in the 10am game, was awarded the win following her complete game, allowing one earned run, five hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts.

Eight different student-athletes registered a hit for the Engineers, while Greco had two RBI, with DeStefano and Caswell each adding one of their own. For the YellowJackets, Melillo led the way offensively with three hits, including two doubles and a run scored. Leahy had the lone RBI for Rochester.

The Engineers will get a rematch with Ithaca tomorrow at 12pm for the Liberty League title. If Rensselaer wins that game, there will be another game between the two teams to determine the conference title winner.