Arcadia Box Score / Defiance Box Score

TAMPA, Fla. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team got solid pitching from sophomore starters Tim Klein (Westwood, NJ/St. Joseph Regional) and Joe Zongol (Flower Mound, TX/Southington) on its way to a pair of victories to improve to 3-3. Klein threw a complete game in a 7-3 win over Arcadia while Zongol struck out eight in 7.1 innings of a 6-3 win over Defiance. With the two victories, RPI has now won three straight games.

Against Arcadia, the first three batters in the Red Hawks’ lineup combined for eight hits, four runs, six runs batted in and four stolen bases. Leadoff hitter Jason Pollard (Hudson, NY/Hudson) went 2 for 4 with two runs, an RBI and two stolen bases; second place hitter Bob Murphy (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) was 2 for 3 with a run, two runs batted in and a stolen base and third place hitter Michael Passante (Highland, NY/Highland) was 4 for 5 with a run, three RBI and a stolen base.

Klein struck out six while walking just one for the win. Junior Chris Nusspickel (Aston, PA/Sun Valley) suffered the loss for Arcadia.

RPI: Tim Klein (W) and Jason Pollard. ARC: Chris Nusspickel (L), Tyler Pennepacker and Anthony Matranga.

Against Defiance, Zongol allowed just two earned runs on the mound and freshman Andrew Novick (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) gave up just one hit in the final 1.2 innings for his first collegiate save. Russ Lupica (Napolean, MI/Napolean) took the loss for Defiance.

Offensively for Rensselaer, junior shortstop Adam Lasek (Waterford, NY/Waterford) was 2 for 3 with a double and two runs while senior Joe Ihnatolya (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) was 1 for 2 with a run scoring double.

RPI: Joe Zongol (W), Andrew Novick (8th/S) and Jason Pollard. DEF: Russ Lupica (L), Jake Reckner (7th), Nicholas Picciano and Jordan Wack.