Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game 1 Box / Game 2 Box

TROY, N.Y. – The Rochester baseball team pounded out 28 hits, including six home runs, on its way to sweeping a doubleheader against 22nd-ranked Rensselaer, at Robison Field. Winning by scores of 8-3 and 11-2, the Yellow Jackets improve to 16-4 overall and 10-0 in the Liberty League. The Engineers fall to 11-7 and 2-4 in conference play.

Two solid pitching performances were turned in by Rochester starters Dan Ludwig (Victor, NY/Victor) and Nate Kowal (Coral Springs, FL/Douglass), holding Rensselaer to just five runs in the two games.

In game one, Ludwig surrendered just three runs on five hits in a 7.0 inning complete game. He struck out one, while walking four.

Junior centerfielder Matt Francis (East Amherst, NY/Clarence) got the visitors on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning, when he blasted his first home run of the season over the fence in right. The Yellow Jackets added two runs in the top of the fifth on a home run by sophomore second baseman Brian Bezek (Rochester, NY/Penfield) and a sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore Alex Caghan (North Canton, OH/Jackson).

RPI answered in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs of its own to pull within 3-2. Sophomore Billy Nikolski (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa) knocked home a run when he hit into a double play, before senior second baseman Tom Jebb (Ticonderoga, NY/Ticonderoga) trotted in on a wild pitch.

A five-run top of the sixth broke the game open as Rochester hit three home runs in the inning. Freshman Jon Menke (Highland Park, IL/ Highland Park), Bezek and Caghan all homered in the inning as the Jackets wrapped out seven hits in the frame.

In game two, Kowal (5-0) gave up two runs on six hits, with six strikeouts and no walks to earn the 9.0 inning complete game victory. He also received early run support as Rochester scored four times in the first two innings.

After RPI senior catcher Patrick Reardon (Troy, NY/LaSalle Institute) put the hosts in the board with his team-leading fourth home run of the season in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Yellow Jackets answered, scoring once in the fifth and five more times in the sixth to push their lead to 10-1.

Engineers freshman shortstop Jonny Rio (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) went 3 for 3 with a double in game two.

Both teams are back in action tomorrow afternoon, when they finish off the four-game series with a twin bill at Robison Field (12pm).