Box Score
TROY, N.Y. – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute junior lefthander Luke Calzone (Bethel, CT/Bethel) allowed just four hits and no earned runs while striking out nine in a complete game 7-2 victory over Union College in a Liberty League baseball game at Robison Field. Calzone, who gave up two unearned runs with three walks, improves to 7-0 while lowering his earned run average to 2.00.
Rensselaer is now 23-8 overall and 12-4 in the league. The Red Hawks have won eight straight games and 18 of their last 20. Union falls to 7-20 and 6-14, including four straight losses to RPI.
The homestanding Red Hawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one inning on an RBI single by senior Joe Ihnatolya (Clifton Park, NY/Shenedehowa) and an unearned run. After senior Michael Passante (Highland, NY/Highland) scored his second unearned run of the afternoon in the third inning, Ihnatolya made the score 5-0 with a two-run home run to right centerfield later in the inning. The homer was his fourth of the season.
Union climbed to within three runs (5-2) in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI single by senior Adam Chused (Concord, MA/Concord-Carlisle) and a bases loaded walk by senior Jeff Viamari (Longmeadow, MA/Tabor Academy). Rensselaer got those two runs right back, however, scoring two unearned runs in its half of the fifth.
Ihnatolya finished with two hits, a run and three RBI while junior catcher Jason Pollard (Hudson, NY/Hudson) and sophomore outfielder Dan Valentine (Goshen, CT/Avon Old Farms) had two hits apiece. One of Pollard’s hits was a double.
Four different players had singles for Union, which saw starter Eric Giavannone (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) suffer the loss. He allowed three hits, three walks and four earned runs with three strikeouts in 3.0 innings. He is now 2-3. Reliever Mike Donovan (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) gave up six hits and two unearned runs while striking out two in 5.0 innings of work.
Rensselaer returns to action on Saturday afternoon when it hosts Liberty League foe Skidmore in a doubleheader at Robison Field at noon. Union plays a doubleheader on Saturday at SUNYIT at 1pm.
