Box Score
TROY, N.Y. – Matt Muscatiello's two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning put the Rensselaer baseball team ahead 19-18 and the Red Hawks held William Paterson scoreless in the ninth inning for the win in a non-conference game at Robison Field. The #10 Red Hawks, who came back from a 7-0 deficit, improve to 26-4. The win is the 599th in the career of head coach Karl Steffen. The Pioneers fall to 21-14.
In a game that featured 37 runs on 50 hits (8 doubles, 1 triple and 6 home runs), Muscatiello's (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane) single proved to be the game-winner with one out in the eighth inning. William Paterson threatened in the ninth inning, putting runners on second and third base with two outs remaining before a game-ending lineout.
RPI senior outfielder Dan Valentine (Goshen, CT/Avon Old Farms) matched his own school record for hits in a game, going 6 for 6 with three runs scored and four RBI. He had four singles, a double and a triple. Classmate Ken Carroll (Shelton, CT/Fairfield Prep.) added five hits in five at bats, including a double and a long home run to centerfield, two runs and three RBI.
William Paterson led 7-0 through the top of the second inning with the help of 10 hits, including home runs by junior Derek Koppinger (Columbia, NJ/North Warren), who hit a two-run shot, and sophomore Mike Guadango (Upper Saddle River, NJ/Northern Highlands), who hit a three-run home run.
The homestanding Red Hawks tacked on nine runs of their own in their half of the stanza, which featured seven hits, including three home runs.
The Pioneers tied the score at 9-9 in the top of the third inning and added three more runs in the top of the fourth for a 12-9 lead. RPI came back to post a pair of runs in the fourth inning and a four-run rally in the fifth for a 15-12 lead after five complete.
After a scoreless sixth inning, the Pioneers tied at 15-15 on a two-run double by senior Anthony Perrone (Midland Park, NJ/Bergen Catholic) and an RBI single by junior John Elia (Emerson, NJ/Pascack Valley). Rensselaer once again came back, this time moving ahead 17-15 in the bottom of the seventh inning on RBI singles from junior Sean Wilkes (Troy, NY/Catholic Central) and Valentine.
The Pioneers went ahead 18-17 in the top of the eighth inning on a two-run single off the bat of Guadango before Muscatiello delivered his two-run single.
In addition to Valentine and Carroll, the Red Hawks saw sophomore Camden Mamigonian (Dover, NH/Dover) finish 3 for 6, including a home run, with three runs scored and four RBI. Senior Stevan Slusher (Pedricktown, NJ/Penns Grove) went 3 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI for the Red Hawks, which saw junior Andrew Novick (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) improve to 2-0. He allowed three runs on four hits with three strikeouts through 2.1 innings of relief.
For William Paterson, Perrone was 5 for 6 with two runs scored and two RBI, Guadango went 3 for 5 with two runs scored and five RBI and Elia went 3 for 6 with a run and three RBI. Senior Steve VandeVrede (Lincoln Park, NJ/Pequannock) took the loss, allowing two runs on one hit with two walks in 1.0 inning.
RPI will have the opportunity to give Steffen his 600th career win on Wednesday afternoon when it travels to MCLA for a 4pm game. William Paterson hosts John Jay on Wednesday at 3:30pm.
