Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Senior Al Mersman went 4 for 5, including the eventual game-winning RBI-double, to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team to a 12-11 non-league victory over Western New England University, this afternoon at Robison Field. With the win, the Engineers improve to 18-10 overall, while the Golden Bears drops to 13-18-1.
 
Mersman (Newark, DE/Salesianum) recorded his first career four-hit game, which included two doubles and a triple. He scored three runs and drove in three. Junior Tim LeSuer (Oak View, CA/Nordhoff) added a 3 for 5 effort, with two runs and an RBI, while senior Shane Matthews (Ballston Spa, NY/Saratoga Catholic) finished 2 for 4 with a triple, two runs and an RBI.
 
The Engineers got the scoring started in the bottom of the first, on an RBI-triple by Mersman and a Western New England error, to make it 2-0.
 
The lead was short-lived as the visitors quickly plated three runs in the top of the second, thanks to a two-run double by senior Jeff Schult (Wappingers Falls, NY/John Jay East Fishkill) and an RBI-fielder's choice from sophomore Scott Hubener (Mendon, MA/Nipmuc Regional).
 
After RPI tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the second, the Golden Bears came right back with three more runs to take a 6-3 lead. The outburst was highlighted by junior Matt Anziano's (Belchertown, MA/Belchertown) first home run of the season – a two-run shot over the fence in right.
 
Senior Andrew Kalish (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) doubled down the line in right in front of a two-run single by junior Jared Jensen (Kingston, NY/Kingston) to pull the hosts even once again (6-6) in the bottom of the third.
 
RPI broke on top for the second time in the game in the bottom of the fourth, scoring four runs to take its largest lead of the game. Mersman got the rally started with an RBI double to left, before sophomore Nick Annunziata (Neshanic Station, NJ/St. Joseph) drilled a single up the middle to score another run. Matthews capped the rally by tripling home a run and then scoring on a widle pitch.
 
Western New England stormed back to within one (10-9) in the fifth, before tying the game in the sixth. Sophomore Doug Milne (Nesconset, NY/Smithtown East) gave the Golden Bears the lead back (11-10) in the seventh when he rolled a single up the middle.
 
In the bottom of the frame, LeSuer reached on an error that brought home the tying run. Mersman then deposited a double down the left field line that drove in LeSuer to make it 12-11.
 
Freshman righthander Jack Krasovec (Haverhill, MA/St. Johns Prep) picked up the win on the hill for RPI, allowing a run on three hits in 3.0 innings. He struck out three and walked one.
 
Rensselaer is back in action this weekend, when it plays a home-and-home four-game series with Bard College, beginning on the road on Saturday (1pm). The Engineers host the Raptors on Sunday (1pm).