Box Score
LITTLE FALLS, N.J. – Sophomores Dan Valentine (Goshen, CT/Avon Old Farms) and Stevan Slusher (Pedricktown, NJ/Penns Grove) each drove in two runs as Rensselaer defeated Montclair State, 9-5, in a “Battle of the Red Hawks” at Yogi Berra Stadium.
Rich Mundy (Norwood, NY/Norwood-Norfolk) had two hits and a run batted in as RPI improved to 10-6 on the season. Junior catcher Andrew Vicaro (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) had two hits and an RBI as Montclair State fell to 9-8-2.
Tied 5-5 in the seventh inning, Rensselaer plated two runs. Mike Passante (Highland, NY/Highland) collected a one-out infield single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Mundy then lined the ball just over the first base bag for a double, giving RPI the lead it would not relinquish. Joe Ihnatolya (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) added an RBI single in the inning and Rensselaer added two more in the ninth as Slusher doubled just inside the left field line bringing home both runs.
Andrew Novick (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) picked up the win in relief after allowing four hits and two runs with a walk. Tim Klein (Westwood, NJ/St. Joseph’s Regional) came on to get the final six outs for his second save. Klein struck out two as he retired all six hitter he faced.
Tim Stringer (Annandale, NJ/North Hunterdon) took the loss, giving up two runs and three hits in 1 1/3 innings. Starter Michael Vicaro (Randolph, NJ/Bayley Ellard) went the first five innings, allowing two runs and three hits, striking out six and walking two.
Montclair State got on the board with a run in the third. Scott Evangelist (Northfield, NJ/Holy Spirit) grounded a single through the right side, stole second and moved to third on a ground out. After Marc DeCastro (Haddon Heights, NJ/Paul VI) was hit by a pitch to put runners at the corners, Rob Clark (Livingston, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) lined a single to left scoring Evangelist. Reliever Andy Opperman (Oneida, NY/Vernon-Verona Sherrill) however escaped further damage by getting an inning-ending double play.
RPI would answer in the top of the fourth. Mundy lofted an opposite-field double to right field and Ken Carroll (Shelton, CT/Fairfield Prep) walked. A sacrifice moved the runners up and Mundy came home as Jim Devine (Castleton, NY/Columbia) bounced a single up the middle knotting the game at 1-1. Valentine put RPI in front as he grounded a single to right.
The Red Hawks countered with two runs of their own in their half of the inning. Brian Butler (Wyckoff, NJ/Ramapo) led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a flyout. Michael Nunes (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) walked and Andrew Vicaro brought home Butler with a base hit to right-center field forging a 2-2 tie. After strikeout, Jim Scelzo (Staten Island, NY/Petrides) collected an infield single with Nunes running all the way to give MSU a 3-2 advantage.
Montclair State nearly added to its lead in the fifth as Vicaro lined a ball that appeared to be headed for the gap that would have scored two runs. However, centerfielder Sean Wilkes (Troy, NY/Catholic Central) made a great defensive play to track the ball down ending the inning.
The play got Rensselaer going as it scored three times in the sixth off against reliever Nick Recchia (Randolph, NJ/Randolph). Adam Lasek (Waterford, NY/Waterford) and Jason Pollard (Hudson, NY/Hudson) each had RBI singles and Valentine delivered a run on a ground out to put RPI up, 5-3. MSU would respond with two runs in the bottom of the inning as Politan lined a two-run single.
