Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Junior Luke Calzone allowed just six hits and one run while striking out six to set the school record for wins in a season and lead the top-seeded Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team to an 9-1 victory over third-seeded University of Rochester in the Liberty League Tournament held at Robison Field.

The Red Hawks improve to 33-9 – tying the school record for wins in a season – and stay alive in the four-team, double elimination event. They advance to play the loser of the winners’ bracket game between second-seeded St. Lawrence and third-seeded Clarkson on Sunday at 9:30am. Rochester falls to 15-25 and is eliminated from the tournament.

A lefthander from Bethel, Conn., Calzone improved to 10-0 by holding the Yellowjackets to just five singles and a double while only walking two.

Rensselaer got on the board with single runs in each of the first two innings before scoring three times in the fourth, twice in the fifth and two more times in the ninth. The Yellowjackets scored their lone run in the eighth inning.

In RPI’s three-run fourth inning, junior Jason Pollard (Hudson, NY/Hudson) had a two-run single sophomore outfielder Dan Valentine (Goshen, CT/Avon Old Farms) had a two-run single to centerfield in the fifth inning. Valentine added a run-scoring double in the ninth inning to finish 2 for 4 with a double and three RBI.

In addition to Valentine, senior Rich Mundy (Norwood/Norwood-Norfolk) and freshman Jim Devine (Castleton, NY/Columbia) were both 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Eric Redding (Kerhonkson, NY/Rondout Valley) went 2 for 3 with two runs scored and a run batted in and Michael Passante (Highland, NY/Highland) had a hit and two runs. He also had two stolen bases, which ties the school record of 29 in a season.

For Rochester, sophomore Jim Bard (Grosse Isle, MI/Chesterton) was 2 for 4. Freshman starter Blair Veenema (Penfield, NY/Fairport) allowed seven runs, including four earned, on nine hits in 5.1 innings. He falls to 5-2.