TROY, N.Y. – Despite a four-run effort in the bottom of the ninth, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team was unable to complete a comeback in a non-league contest against the Red Hawks of Montclair State on Wednesday afternoon. With the loss, the Engineers fall to 10-7, while the Red Hawks improve to 10-5.

After being shut out through the first eight innings, RPI made it a game in the bottom of the ninth, scoring four runs to draw within three. Chuck Erickson (Mansfield, MA/Mansfield) and Art Levenson (San Diego, CA/University City) belted consecutive hits to start things off, before Billy Nikolski (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) singled to right center to drive in the Engineers' first run of the day. A two-out error kept the home team alive, and RPI went on to score three more runs before Montclair State put an end to their rally attempt.

Holding a 1-0 lead through the first five innings of play, Montclair State added a pair of runs in the sixth for a 3-0 lead. The Red Hawks were able to capitalize on a no-out, based-loaded situation, as freshman Cody Pace (Millton, NJ/Spotswood) came up with a sacrifice fly to score rookie Anthony Bowens (Nutley, NJ/Nutley). Senior Michael Ercolano (Sussex, NJ/Vernon Township) then singled to left center to bring home catcher Kevin Bond (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove).

Montclair State expanded its lead the following inning, tacking on three more runs to go up 6-0. The inning was highlighted by Michael Boggi's (Towaco, NJ/Montville) two-out, two-run homer deep to left field.

Seven different players recorded hits for the Red Hawks' offense. Bond led the offense with two runs scored in the game. Erickson, Levenson and Nikolski all had two-hit efforts for the Engineers.

On the mound, junior Paul Ciccazzo (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) earned the win, going 7.0 innings and giving up four hits. He struck out four on the afternoon. Despite the solid effort, junior Dan Duval (Middleton, MA / Masconomet) shouldered the loss, allowing one run on three hits over 5.0 innings.  He struck out seven batters with no walks.  

Rensselaer will head to Vassar on Saturday for a Liberty League doubleheader (1pm) before heading home to face the Brewers again in a twinbill on Sunday (12pm). Montclair State will host Ramapo tomorrow at 3:30pm.