Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

TROY, N.Y. - Rookie Kristina Weltzin pitched the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team to a complete game, two-run victory over Union College in the Engineers' home opener. RPI posted a 4-2 victory in game one and took the nightcap by an 8-1 margin to improve to 17-9 overall and 6-0 in the Liberty League.  The Dutchwomen move to 14-10 on the season and 3-3 in conference play.

The Engineers opened the game's scoring with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second. Sophomore Dani Grage (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon) led the charge with an RBI single to score classmate Tori Hunt (Cheshire, MA/Hoosac Valley).  Grage later advanced to third on a wild pitch and was brought home to make it a 2-0 game by a single to center off the bat of senior Samantha Paulding (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker).

Holding the Dutchwomen at bay in the next inning, Rensselaer tacked on another run as sophomore Charlene Osmanski (Elmhurst, IL/York) singled to center field to drive home senior Sara Heller (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland), who reached on a fielding error.

Another run crossed the plate for the home team in the bottom of the fourth, making it a 4-0 contest. Following an unsuccessful double-steal, which saw senior Kelly Erkert (Burlington, NJ/Burlington Township) out at third and rookie Jocilyn Rudisill (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) safe at second, Heller came to the plate and sent a hard shot to right center to bring in the run.

Facing the four-run deficit, Union charged back into the game, cutting the gap to two (4-2) in the bottom of the sixth.  With runners on second and third after moving up on a wild pitch, junior Samantha Chevalier (East Greenbush, NY/Colombia) rifled a double into deep center field to score the runs. Despite several hits, rookie Kristina Weltzin (Commerce Town, MI/Walled Lake Northern) pitched her way out of trouble and sat the Dutchwomen down in the top of the seventh to secure her 12th victory of the season.

Offensively for RPI, Heller went 2 for 4 with an RBI, while Hunt was 2 for 3 with a run scored.  Weltzin moved to 12-5, allowing just two runs on seven hits over 7.0 innings pitched.  She walked just one batter while striking out four.

For Union, Chevalier was 2 for 3 with two runs batted in, while junior Sarah Logan (Westfield, MA/Williston Northhampton School) was also 2 for 3.  Logan shouldered the loss in the circle for Union, allowing three runs on five hits over 3.0 innings. Freshman Allyson Staats (Downers Grove, IL/Benet Academy) came on in relief, allowing a run on four hits.

In game two, both teams remained locked in a 1-1 tie until the bottom of the fifth, when the Engineers broke open the game with a pair of big hits.  Osmanski got the flurry going, rocketing a single into right field to drive in a pair of runs.  Hunt followed and reached a milestone with one swing as she sent a deep shot to left field for her first career homerun and a 6-1 lead for the Engineers.

Heller then made it a seven-run contest (8-1) in the bottom of the sixth, firing a shot down the left side to drive in a pair of runs.

Union tried to battle back in the top of the seventh, getting two on with two outs on the board, but sophomore Amanda Blake (Upper Saddle River, NJ/Northern Highlands) popped the ball up to second for the final out.

Weltzin pitched another solid complete game for the Engineers, allowing just one run on seven hits.  She also struck out four batters and walked just two. Offensively, Heller, Osmanski, McCarthy and Hunt each added two runs batted in.

Sophomore Alyssa Wolejko (South Windsor, CT/East Catholic) shouldered the loss for Union, allowing seven runs on seven hits over 5.0 innings of relief.  She struck out three while walking one.

Rensselaer is right back in action on Tuesday when it heads to Williamstown, Mass., for a non-conference doubleheader against Williams (3:30pm).  Union hosts Oswego State on Tuesday for a twinbill (3:30pm).