Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

TROY, N.Y. – Andrew Kalish went a combined 5 for 7 with a home run as the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team split a Liberty League doubleheader with the University of Rochester, falling 10-5, before winning 4-2. With the split, the Engineers are now 10-10 overall and 7-3 in the league, while the Yellow Jackets move to 5-13 (2-7 Liberty).

A first-inning RBI-double from Rochester sophomore Nate Mulhberg (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East), was followed by a two-run homer by classmate Nick Carlson (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy) made it 3-0 Yellow Jackets in the top of the third.

RPI battled back to even the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the frame, when Kalish (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) launched a three-run shot to right.

Rochester answered quickly to regain the lead in the fifth inning on run-scoring double off the bat of senior third baseman Robby Barnard (Springfield, VA/St. Stephen-St. Agnes), which plated freshman Tim LeSuer (Oak View, CA/Nordoff). A two-run single senior Dominic Caruso (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) capped the five-run fifth as the visitors took an 8-3 lead.

The Engineers came back with two in bottom of the fifth thanks to RBI-singles from senior Kyle LaVigne (Ashland, MA/Ashland) and junior Tanner Boucher (Keene, NH/Keene). Carlson then hit the second of his two home runs on the day to complete the scoring.

Junior Jon Menke (Highland Park, IL/Highland Park) earned the game one victory tossing 6.0 innings, while allowing five runs on eight hits. He struck out five, while walking two.

In game two, the Engineers scored first, when sophomore Eric Kozak (New York, NY/Dalton School) doubled to the wall in right, scoring junior Chuck Erickson (Mansfield, MA/Mansfield) from second base. Classmate Kevin Prosicki (Whippany, NJ/Whippany Park) then delivered a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 RPI advantage after two innings.

Barnard brought Rochester back to within 2-1 on a two-out single to right in the fifth, but Rensselaer answered in the bottom of the stanza on a sac fly from senior Art Levenson (San Diego, CA/University City).

After a wild pitch made it a one-run game (3-2) once again, a bunt by Boucher, coupled with a Yellow Jackets error allowed the Engineers to score their fourth run.

Senior righthander Levi Washburn (Gansevoort, NY/Schuylerville) allowed just two runs on four hits over 6.2 innings to pick up his first win of the season. He struck out three, while walking three.

Both teams return to action tomorrow afternoon, when they face off in the second doubleheader of the series (12pm).