Game 1 Box / Game 2 Box
TROY, N.Y. – Six different batters had two hits apiece to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team to a 12-4 win over Castleton St. College in the first game of a non-league doubleheader at Robison Field. The visiting Spartans then got a complete game five-hitter from senior Tom Cummings (Athol, MA/Athol) to earn the split, 6-2.
The homestanding Red Hawks, the 13th-ranked team in the nation, are now 12-4 on the season. Castleton is 6-7.
In the opener Rensselaer scored five runs in the third inning, including four unearned, to take a 6-3 lead and the Red Hawks went on to the eight-run victory. Among those with multiple hits was senior first baseman Ken Carroll (Shelton, CT/Fairfield Prep), who also scored once and knocked in four. Juniors Stevan Slusher (Pedrictown, NJ/Penns Grove) and Matt Muscatiello (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane) added two hits, two runs and an RBI apiece. Senior Ian Titcomb (Norwood, MA/Xaverian Brothers) earned the win in relief, allowing just one run on one hit in 3.0 innings of relief.
Castleton starter Ron Cahill (Oswego, NY/Oswego) suffered the loss after allowing six runs (1 earned) on ten hits in 2.2 innings. Offensively for the Spartans, senior catcher Ryan Bouck (Schenectady, NY/Schenectady) was 2 for 3 with a home run, a run and two runs batted in. Two others also had two hits for the visitors.
The Spartans then scored four unearned runs in the sixth inning and Cummings finished with six strikeouts to win the nightcap. He allowed just four singles and a double with two walks. Junior Shawn Horvath (Rutland, VT/Rutland) had two of Castleton’s six hits, including a double. He also knocked in three runs and stole a base.
For RPI, Carroll was 3 for 3 with a double and a run batted in. Sophomore reliever Andrew Novick (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) suffered the loss.
Rensselaer is scheduled to be back in action on Saturday at Clarkson University for a Liberty League doubleheader (12pm). Castleton is also scheduled to play again on Saturday when it hosts Elms College in a doubleheader beginning at 2pm.
