Box Score Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Senior captain Mike Cieszko earned his third win of the season and sophomore Tanner Boucher hit his first collegiate home run to lead the Rensselaer baseball team to an, 8-2, victory over MCLA, this afternoon at Robison Field. With the win, the Engineers improve to 10-6 on the season, while the Trailblazers drop to 5-9 overall.

Rensselaer started the scoring early, plating a pair of run in the first inning. Junior Kyle LaVigne (Ashland, MA/Ashland) led off the frame with in infield single, before advancing all the way to third on a stolen base and throwing error. Sophomore Jonny Rio (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) delivered a sacrifice fly to deep left, before Boucher (Keene, NH/Keene) blasted a home run over the fence in right center.

The Engineers picked up two more runs in the second, when LaVigne drew a bases loaded walk in front an RBI-groundout by freshman Andrew Kalish (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa).

MCLA answered in the top of the third on a two-out, two-run single off the bat of senior second baseman Mike Meaney (North Adams, MA/Drury). Back-to-back hits by sophomore Joe Duncan (Dalton, MA/Wahconah) and senior John Ripepi (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam), followed by an RPI throwing error, put runners on second and third for Meaney, who ripped a single up the middle.

Sophomore designated hitter Chuck Erickson (Mansfield, MA/Mansfield) got one run back for the hosts in the bottom of the third to take a 5-2 lead. Boucher led off the stanza with a walk and a steal of second base. Erickson then knocked him home with a two-bagger to the gap in left center.

RPI tacked on single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth to cap the scoring. Rio came around to score from second base on a wild pitch in the seventh, before sophomore Kevin Prosicki (Whippany, NJ/Whippany Park) recorded a run-scoring single in the eighth.

Cieszko (Stevenson Ranch, CA/William S. Hart) earned the win (3-1), surrendering two runs (1 earned) on five hits in 5.0 innings. He struck out four, while walking two. MCLA starter Rick Massey (Cheshire, MA/St. Joseph's) was tabbed with the loss (1-2), giving up five runs (4 earned) on six hits in 3.0 innings.

Out of the bullpen, Engineers' sophomore Mike Campisi (Kings Park, NY/Kings Park) and junior Dan Duval (Middleton, MA/Masconomet) each recorded 2.0 innings of no-hit ball to close out the contest.

The Engineers are back in action on Monday, when they host Montclair St. at Robison Field (4pm). MCLA opens is league schedule on April 2, when it visits Mass. Maritime for a doubleheader (1pm).