Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

TROY, N.Y. – Senior Sean Conroy threw a 7.0-inning complete game to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team to a 4-1 victory in game two of a doubleheader with Clarkson University, this afternoon at Robison Field. The Engineers, who lost game one, 5-2, move to 9-3 overall (1-1 Liberty League), while the Golden Knights are now 5-5 (1-1 Liberty League).
 
Game one saw Rensselaer strike first in the bottom of the first, on an RBI-single by junior Nick Palmiero (Patterson, NY/Carmel) that scored classmate Tim LeSuer (Oak View, CA/Nordhoff).
 
The visitors fought back quickly, tying the score at 1-1 in the top of the third. Senior Dan Lenney (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) drove a double down the left field line with two outs in the frame, scoring classmate David Wixted (Ballston Lake, NY/Shenendehowa). Junior John Coleman (Potsdam, NY/Potsdam) was cut down between home and third to end the threat and the inning.
 
Clarkson took a brief 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth, as sophomore Anthony Padrazo (Setauket, NY/Ward Melville) drove in a run with a base-hit to left. The Engineers answered in the bottom of the inning, taking advantage of a Golden Knights infield error to make it 2-2.
 
The score remained all square until the eighth inning, when a two-out bases clearing double by junior Nolan Driscoll (Troy, NY/Catholic Central) broke the game open at 5-2. RPI was able to get one base-runner on in the eighth but could not score.
 
Sophomore Greg Jasek (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) went the distance for Clarkson, allowing two runs (1 earned) on seven hits in 8.0 innings. Junior Jared Jensen (Kingston, NY/Kingston) surrendered five runs on eight hits in 8.0 innings. He struck out five and walked four.
 
In game two, Conroy (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) controlled things from the start, as he held Clarkson without a base-runner until Coleman singled to right with one out in the top of the fourth. The Golden Knights were able to get two runners about in the frame, but Conroy was able to strand them both in scoring position.
 
In the bottom half of the inning, the Engineers struck for four runs, highlighted by a two-out, two-run single by senior captain Andrew Kalish (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) to cap the scoring rally. Sophomore Michael Croke (South Hadley, MA/South Hadley) chipped in with a bases-loaded walk, which scored RPI's first run.
 
Conroy continued his strong performance into the sixth, when the Golden Knights were able to scratch across a run on a slicing single to center off the bat of Jasek. Conroy then set Clarkson down in order in the seventh to earn his first complete game of the year. He allowed one unearned run on four hits (all singles), while striking out seven without a walk.
 
Senior Pete Roma (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) was tagged with four runs (all unearned) on seven hits in 5.0 innings. He had two strikeouts and three walks.
 
Palmiero had two hits in game one and another in game to extend his team-best hitting streak to 10 games. He has hit safely in 11 of the team's 12 games. Conroy improves to 2-0 on the season and has won nine straight decisions, dating back to March 30, 2013.
 
The Engineers are back in action this weekend, when they host the University of Rochester for a four-game series at Robison Field. Play will begin with a doubleheader on Saturday (12pm) and concludes with a twin bill on Sunday (1pm). Both games can be heard live on 91.5 FM, WRPI or online (www.wrpi.org/listen).