Box Score

AUBURN, N.Y. – Junior Tim Gallagher pitched 4.2 innings of one-hit relief to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team to a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over Farmingdale State, today in NCAA New York Regional play from Falcon Park. With the win, the Engineers improve to 30-14 overall, while the Rams conclude their season with a 29-15 record.

Farmingdale scored a run in the top of the first, taking advantage of two RPI errors. Senior Ron Remi (Massapequa, NY) brought classmate David Zilnicki (Riverhead, NY) home from third with a groundout to second to make it 1-0.

The Rams added a second run in the third, once again without the benefit of a hit, as senior catcher Eric Wiener (Deer Park, NY) reached on an error, was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, stole third and scored on a groundout by Zilnicki.

Rensselaer drew even at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth, thanks to an RBI-double off the bat of junior Al Mersman (Newark, DE/Salesianum) and a run-scoring single by freshman Nick Annunziata (Neshanic Station, NJ/St. Joseph).

Farmingdale ended RPI sophomore starting pitcher Jared Jensen's (Kingston, NY/Kingston) no-hit bid with one out in the top of the fifth on an RBI-single by Weiner, which broke a 2-2 tie. The Rams went on to score two more runs in the stanza on a bases-loaded single from sophomore shortstop Anthony Alvino (Lindenhurst, NY), to take a 5-2 lead.

The Engineers drew to within 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth. Sophomore Tim LeSuer (Oak View, CA/Nordhoff) led off the inning by drawing a walk. Classmate Shane Matthews (Ballston Spa, NY/Saratoga Catholic) then grounded to second but the ball was bobbled and he was able to reach safely. After a sac bunt moved runners to second and third with one out, Mersman walked to load the bases in front of Annunziata, who once again came through with an RBI-single. Sophomore Nick Palmiero (Patterson, NY/Carmel) drove a sac fly to right for the second run of the inning.

RPI put runners on first and third with two outs in the seventh, but couldn't scratch across the tying run. Following a 1-2-3 top of the eighth, the Engineers plated two in the bottom of the frame to take their first and only lead of the game.

Mersman and Annunziata led off the inning with back-to-back singles, before Palmiero dropped down a sac bunt to move both runners up. Freshman Chris Holomakoff (Norwalk, CT/Brien McMahon) then walked on four pitches to load the bases. Sophomore Tyler Listing (West Sand Lake, NY/Averill Park) followed that up with walk to tie the game at 5-5. Junior Andrew Kalish (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) then lifted a fly ball to right that was caught on the dive by Farmingdale senior Terrence Bohonan (Patchogue, NY). Annunziata was able to trot home from third for the eventual game winning run.

Gallagher (Snohomish, WA/Snohomish) picked up his fifth win of the season allowing just one hit over 4.2 innings. He struck out five, while walking one. Jensen allowed five runs (3 earned) on three hits in 4.1 innings. He struck out seven and walked two.

Mersman finished 3 for 3 with two runs and one run batted in. Annunziata was 3 for 4 with a run and two RBI.

The Engineers play again at 7:45pm tonight against the winner of the Cortland/Neumann game.