Box Score Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Senior righthander Andrew Mondo pitched a complete game, allowing just nine hits and no walks with four strikeouts, to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team to a non-league win over SUNY Old Westbury at Robison Field. The Engineers, the 21st-ranked team in the nation, improve to 11-5, while the Panthers fall to 9-9.

Mondo (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) gave up two earned runs on seven singles, a double and a home run. He is now 4-1 on the season and just two wins shy of tying the school record for career victories (25). Offensively, RPI had eight hits, including two each from senior designated hitter Noah Poissant (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes) and freshman shortstop Jonny Rio (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia).

After seeing its first six batters go down in order, Rensselaer opened the scoring in the third inning. Poissant led off with a hustling double to right centerfield. He was moved to third on a fly out to right field and then scored on a ground out to the shortstop by senior Tom Jebb (Ticonderoga, NY/Ticonderoga). A bases loaded walk by Jebb in the fifth inning pushed the home team's lead to 2-0.

Old Westbury battled back to tie the game at 2-2 in the sixth inning. The first run came on a home run to left centerfield by junior centerfielder Giovanni Jimenez (Brooklyn, NY/Brentwood). The next two batters singled to put runners on first and third and Edwin Pena's (Brooklyn, NY/Fort Hamilton) ground out to the pitcher tied the game.

RPI gained the lead back, 3-2, with one run in the seventh inning. Poissant singled with one out, advanced to second on a Scott Robinson (Schenectady, NY/Mohonosan) single, moved to third on a fly out to deep rightfield and then scored, unearned, on an infield error.

The Engineers gave themselves breathing room with three runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by an RBI double by Camden Mamigonian (Dover, NH/Dover) and a two-run home run by Rio.

Junior lefty Marvin Rosario (Lynbrook, NY/Malverne) took the loss for the Panthers. He allowed six hits and three runs (2 earned) in 6.2 innings. He struck out four with two walks and is now 3-1 on the year. Three players had two hits apiece, including Jimenez (2 for 4, 1 run, 1 RBI) and Pena (2 for 4, 1 RBI).

Rensselaer is idle until April 10 when it hosts league foe Rochester in a doubleheader beginning at 1pm. Old Westbury is back in action on Saturday with a doubleheader versus Plattsburgh State at home (12pm).