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Game 1 Box / Game 2 Box

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Senior outfielder Sean Wilkes (Troy, NY/Catholic Central) produced seven RBIs, five hits and a grand slam home run to lead #10 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to a sweep over Union at Central Park Diamond C on Saturday. The Red Hawks won by scores of 10-3 (in the 7-inning opener) and 15-5 to improve to 23-7 overall and 16-1 in the Liberty League. The Dutchmen fell to 5-15 and 2-10.

Wilkes had two doubles and three RBIs in the opener, and his grand slam came in the second inning of game two, his first home run of the year. Catcher Patrick Reardon (Troy, NY/LaSalle Institute) and shortstop Tom Jebb (Ticonderoga, NY/Ticonderoga) added two hits each in the opener for the Red Hawks. Senior Andy Opperman (Oneida, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) remained perfect with a 6-0 mark on the mound. Opperman allowed three hits and three runs, one earned, while striking out five in five-plus innings.

Union jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first with a two-run double by Mike Ranalli (Schenectady, NY/Guilderland). But RPI tied it after a Jebb single was followed by consecutive RBI doubles by Wilkes and Reardon. The Red Hawks sent 12 batters to the plate in an eight-run fifth inning that featured a two-run double by Wilkes. Union starter Matt Sheehan (Lexington, MA) took the loss with five earned runs and six hits in four-plus innings. Ranalli's also homered to leadoff the fourth.

In the nightcap, Union once again took a 2-0 first inning lead, this coming on a two-run double by Ranalli. But in the top of the second, RPI put five on the board and added six more in the second. Wilkes' grand slam in the second came with two outs, while the third featured a two-run blast from Scott Robinson (Schenectady, NY/Mohonosan), his sixth of the year, and a two-run homer by Jim Devine (Castleton, NY)/Columbia), his third of the season. Noah Poissant (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes) hit his first homer of the year, a solo shot in the eighth, and wound up with three hits and three RBIs. The guests had 16 hits in the second game.

RPI starter Andrew Mondo (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) now stands 7-1 on the year. He scattered five hits and struck out four while allowing just one earned run in seven innings.

Union was led by Jared Hotaling (Schenectady, NY) and Andy Brown (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs), who each had two hits.

The two teams face each other again Sunday, this time at Rensselaer for a twinbill at noon.