Box Score
Auburn, N.Y. -- The third-seeded Rensselaer Red Hawks broke open a one-run game with a seven-run fifth inning and cruised to a 14-2 win over sixth-seeded Centenary (N.J.) in the NCAA New York Regional at Falcon Park in Auburn. With the win -- the Red Hawks’ school-record 34th of the season -- Rensselaer advances to play Ithaca in a winners’ bracket game at 1 p.m. Thursday. Centenary will play Endicott in an elimination game Thursday at 10 a.m.
"We played an aggressive game," said Rensselaer head coach Karl Steffen. "We need to play that way in order to advance."
Senior left fielder Michael Passante (Highland/Highland) led Rensselaer with four hits (including two triples). His first triple came during the Red Hawks’ fifth-inning outburst. Senior second baseman Rich Mundy (Norwood-Norfolk/Norwood) brought in the first two runs with a bases-loaded double. The inning also featured an RBI by sophomore right fielder Dan Valentine (Avon Old Farms/Goshen, Conn.) a run-scoring single by sophomore catcher Stevan Slusher (Penns Grove/Pedricktown, N.J.) and three Cyclone errors.
Senior first baseman Joe Ihnatolya (Shenendehowa/Clifton Park) collected three hits for Rensselaer; Valentine, Slusher and sophomore shortstop Matt Muscatiello (Ichabod Crane/Kinderhook) added two apiece. Valentine scored three runs.
Senior Charles Yarnold (Mount Olive/Budd Lake, N.J.) went the distance to earn the win, improving to 8-2. He struck out nine, did not walk a batter and retired 14 in a row from the fourth through the ninth.
Centenary took a lead in the top of the first; junior first baseman Pat Cassidy (North Hunterdon/Annandale, N.J.) singled in junior third baseman Brandon Perrine (North Hunterdon/Annandale, N.J.). Cassidy drove in both Centenary runs and finished with three of the Cyclones’ six hits and Perrine added two. Perrine scored both Cyclone runs.
The Red Hawks recorded their first NCAA playoff win since the 2002 College World Series; Centenary falls to 0-3 in two NCAA playoff appearances (the Cyclones lost to Ithaca and Cortland in last year’s NCAA NY Regional).
