Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – After watching Union College post a 3-2 win on a walk-off single in the opener, the Rensselaer baseball team held off the Dutchmen in the second game of the Liberty League doubleheader, posting a 3-2 victory of its own. 

Pitchers Jared Jensen and Dane O'Neil dueled in the opener, as each pitcher was effective in the early moments, keeping the game scoreless in the first two innings. The Engineers got to O'Neil first when Nick Annunziata drew a walk and eventually worked his way to third on a stolen base and a passed ball. Eric Kozak followed with a single to left field for a 1-0 lead. Rensselaer doubled their lead the following inning when Chuck Erickson reached on a leadoff single to right field. After an O'Neil wild pitch, Shane Matthews stroked a single to centerfield to score Erickson. 

The Dutchmen leveled the score in the bottom of the fifth when Sam Caruso and Chris Donovan put together back-to-back singles to open the inning. Anders Goetz followed up with a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners into scoring position with just one out. Vince Esposito brought Caruso home on a grounder to second base and Dylan Katz-Wicks provided the game-tying run when he struck a two-out single to centerfield to score Donovan from third.

Union was seeking the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth when Tyler Heck drew a hit-by-pitch from relief pitcher Reid Roberge. Heck stole second and David Peretti followed with a bunt single down the third base side to advance Heck to third. The Engineers opted for Ash Rao to get Rensselaer out of the jam and he got the first out but Peretti advanced to second on a groundout. After an intentional walk to load the bases, Rao recorded two more outs to escape the threat.

The score remained tied entering the bottom of the seventh. Goetz led off with a single through the right side of the infield. Esposito laid down a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher to advance Goetz to scoring position. After an infield single by Katz-Wicks, Heck struck a ball into left field that scored Goetz from second to take the first game of the doubleheader.

O'Neil earned the win and improved to 2-0 with a complete game while conceding a pair of walks and runs while striking out two batters. Jensen was given a no-decision, going 4.2 innings allowing six hits and two runs while striking out two batters. Rao was tagged with the loss as he went 1.1, giving up three hits in the relief appearance.

In the second game, RPI's Sean Conroy and Union's Phil Kemp faced off on the mound.

After a quick first inning, the Engineers got on the board first with a solo home run to left field by Shane Matthews.

The Dutchmen rebounded in the fourth inning when Heck led the inning off with a double. After a Peretti groundout to advance Heck to third, Jamie Faber pulled the ball through the gap between second and first to score Heck.

Rensselaer responded in the following frame, taking advantage of the Dutchmen's fielding errors. After a one-out single by Nick Palmiero, he moved to third on a pair of wild pitches. This was followed by another error, which allowed Palmiero to score.

The Engineers took advantage again in the sixth as Andrew Kalish and Jonny Rio reached on errors to make it first and third with no outs. A groundout by Erickson increased the Engineers lead to 3-1.

Conroy continued to pitch effectively as he was able to go 8.1 innings, spreading out nine hits while striking out nine batters.

Union rallied in the ninth inning, beginning with Eric Egan, who led off the frame with a pinch hit single down the right field line. Sam Caruso reached on a hit-by-pitch and Jesse Galina continued the rally with a sacrifice bunt that advanced the runners into scoring position. Tim Gallagher came in to close out the game but allowed pinch runner Chris Carbone to score on a wild pitch. Gallagher then struck out Goetz and forced a groundout to end the game.

Kemp pitched 8.0 innings, conceding one earned run while striking out nine batters and waling just one. Chris Pignatello pitched one inning in relief.

The Dutchmen and Engineers meet again on Sunday when Union travels to Troy, N.Y. for a doubleheader beginning at noon.