Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team scored 26 runs on 24 hits and two pitchers combined for a pair of complete games with 23 strikeouts in a doubleheader sweep of Bard College, 12-1 and 14-2. The Engineers improve to 20-10 overall and 9-7 in the Liberty League, while the Raptors fall to 3-20-1 and 0-14-1. The same two teams meet again on Sunday, this time in a doubleheader at Robison Field in Troy. Both games will be aired live on WRPI, 91.5 FM and www.wrpi.org/listen with live statistics at http://www.sidearmstats.com/rpi/baseball/. 

In the first game, a seven-inning affair, Shane Matthews hit two home runs in a 9-run sixth inning and Sean Conroy did not allow a run while striking out 10 to lead the Engineers. The game was tied, 1-1, into the fifth inning when the visitors scored twice on wild pitches for a 3-1 lead. Matthews then started the sixth inning rally with a home run to leftfield - his first of the season. He hit his second, a two-run shot, later in the frame after Tim LeSuer tripled in three runs, Tyler Listing had an RBI single, Al Mersman tripled home Listing and Nick Annunziata singled to plate Mersman.

Matthews finished with three hits in four at bats, along with two runs and three runs batted in. Listing was 2 for 4 with a run and two RBI. Jared Jensen added two hits in three at bats, along with two runs scored.

Conroy improved to 5-1 and lowered his ERA to 1.45 by allowing just five hits, one unearned run and no walks in seven innings. Gabe Kleiman allowed six runs (5 earned) on five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in five innings to take the loss.

In the nightcap, a nine inning game, RPI scored three times in the first inning and eight more in the third for a commanding lead and sophomore Greg Echieverra made it stand with a complete game six-hitter with 13 strikeouts in his first start of the season. He is now 2-0 with a 3.34 earned run average and a team-best three saves.

After scoring on a pair of wild pitches and a sacrifice flies in the first inning, the Engineers saw three players collect two-RBI hits in the third. Matt Lawrence had double down the leftfield line that plated two runs, Listing singled to score two and Mersman brought two in with a double. Two innings later, Mersman homered to leftfield to score two more runs for a 13-0 lead.

All nine batters had at least one hit for the Engineers, led by Mersman (2 for 5, 2 runs, 4 RBI) and Listing (2 for 5, 3 runs, 3 RBI).