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

TROY, N.Y. – Chuck Erickson and Tanner Boucher hit home runs to lead the Rensselaer baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of Skidmore College, this afternoon in Liberty League action at Robison Field. With wins of 5-2 and 15-5, the Engineers improve to 22-12 overall and 15-5 in league play, while the Thoroughbreds drop to 25-10 and 11-9 in the conference.

Needing a split of its final four league games to take the regular season title, Rensselaer earned the right to host the Liberty League Tournament, next weekend, taking two from Skidmore on Saturday afternoon.

The Engineers fell behind early in game 1, as the Skidmore plated two first-inning runs on four hits against RPI junior starter Dan Duval (Middleton, MA/Masconomet). Thoroughbreds' junior Rob Rubenstein (Highland Park, NJ/Highland Park) singled-home the first run of the game, before freshman Erik Watkins (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln Sudbury) knocked in another later in the frame.

Skidmore senior righthander Trevor Brucato (Stamford, CT/Bronxville) pitched well, keeping the Engineers off the scoreboard until the bottom of the sixth, when they exploded for five runs on five hits. Highlighting the inning was a two-run double by junior Art Levenson (San Diego, CA/University City) that tied the game at 2-2 and a two-run homer by Erickson to deep right field to give the hosts the lead for good.

Junior third baseman Cody Vincent (Catskill, NY/John A. Coleman) added a run-scoring base-hit the close out the scoring.

In game 2, Rensselaer jumped all over Skidmore starter Nick Laracuente (Tenafly, NJ/Tenafly) in the first inning, scoring four runs on five hits. The Engineers added three more in the bottom of the second inning as Boucher delivered a two-RBI double to straight away centerfield.

After Skidmore pulled to with 7-2 with a run in the top of the fourth, Boucher answered in the bottom of the frame, launching his fourth home run of the season. A three-run fifth for the Engineers was capped by a two-run single by junior Kyle LaVigne (Ashland, MA/Ashland).

Senior Mike Cieszko (Stevenson Ranch, CA/William S. Hart) earned the win (7-2) on the hill for RPI, allowing all five runs (2 earned) on seven hits over 6.0 innings. He struck out nine and walked one. Junior Jeremy Lockwood-Menard (Chelsea, PQ/Ashbury College) picked up his first save of the season, working the final 3.0 innings, while giving up three hits.

Both teams are back in action tomorrow afternoon when square of in the final league doubleheader of the regular season (12pm).