Game 1 Box Score / Game 2 Box Score

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Junior catcher Jason Pollard (Hudson, NY/Hudson) drove in three runs on two hits in game one and senior pitcher Charles Yarnold (Budd Lake, NJ/Mount Olive) allowed just five hits for the win in game two as Rensselaer swept Union, 7-4 & 2-1, in a Liberty League doubleheader.  RPI is now 22-8 overall and 11-4 in the Liberty League while Union falls to 7-19 and 6-13.

The Dutchmen plated three runs in the third inning of the opener after putting up a run in the first to take a 4-0 lead. Zach Tillo (Lancaster, MA/Exeter) singled into right field with two outs to plate two of those runs before Josh McKelligan (Canton, MA/Salisbury) followed with a single down the right field line to plate the third run of the inning.

RPI scored all of its runs over the final three innings, beginning with a pair of three-run frames. The Red Hawks got things started in the fifth when Pollard hit a sacrifice fly to left field that brought in Jim Devine (Castleton, NY/Columbia). Michael Passante (Highland, NY/Highland) kept things going with a single up the middle in the next at-bat and Rich Mundy (Norwood, NY/Norwood-Norfolk) grounded out to second with only one out to bring in Sean Wilkes (Troy, NY/Catholic Central).

The Red Hawks put up three more runs with two outs in the sixth inning. It appeared Union would close out the inning after forcing Bob Murphy (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) to hit into a double play but four batters later Pollard drove in two runs with a single to right centerfield to put his team on top, 5-4.

Matt Muscatiello (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane) brought home Mundy in the seventh for the final run. Union threatened with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the final inning but relief pitcher Tim Klein (Westwood, NJ/St. Joseph Regional) struck out the final two batters to pick up the save.

McKelligan pitched 5.2 innings in the loss, allowing three earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts. Andrew Novick (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) remained unbeaten with his third win of the season for RPI. He entered the game with two outs in the third and allowed just three hits and recorded three strikeouts.

In game two, Union struck first again with a run in the third inning when senior Adam Chused drove in Matt Wentworth (N. Andover, MA/N. Andover) with a single to center field. Wentworth reached base with a triple to left field.

Rensselaer responded in the fifth inning to take over the lead. Devine doubled to right center, bringing in Joe Ihnatolya (Clifton Park, NY/Shenedehowa), who led off the inning with a single. Two batters later, Wilkes singled to bring in Devine. Union managed just two hits over the final three innings and went down in order in the seventh.

Yarnold allowed one earned run and struck out four batters for the  win. Matt Sheehan (Lexington, MA/Belmont Hill) allowed two runs on five hits in 4.2innings to suffer the loss.

Union and RPI close out their season series on Thursday in Troy. The teams will play one nine-inning game at 4:30pm to complete the second half of a doubleheader that was postponed due to rain on April 22.