Game 1 Box |
Game 2 Box |
Alden Challenge |
RPI Athletics on YouTubePOTSDAM, N.Y. -
Jared Jensen and Greg Echeverria both threw complete games as the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team split a Liberty League doubleheader at Clarkson University, winning game one, 3-0, but losing game two, 4-1. RPI is now 15-11 overall and 14-4 in the conference, while the Knights are 15-4 and 9-3. The same two teams play another twinbill on Sunday.
The first game was a pitcher's duel with junior Ian Castle for Clarkson and Jensen (Kingston, NY / Kingston) throwing shutouts through the first six innings. The Engineers broke through with three runs in the top of the seventh inning on three hits. Senior
Tim LeSuer (Oak View, CA / Nordhoff) had the biggest hit of the game, a two-out, two-run double to leftfield. LeSuer, RPI's second baseman, then scored on a single to left by classmate Nick Palmeiro (Patterson, NY / Carmel).
That would be all Jenson needed as he got three straight outs in the bottom of the inning to complete the shutout. He allowed just four hits and is now 3-2 with a 3.16 earned run average and four complete games. Castle gave up three runs on eight hits and three strikeouts.
RPI opened the second game just like it finished the first, with the Engineers picking up a run in the top of the first on one hit - a
Nick Annunziata (Neshanic Station, NJ / St. Joseph H.S.) single to centerfield that scored LeSuer. Clarkson got its first run of the day in the bottom of the frame. Sophomores Paul Ludden and Chris Miller hit consecutive singles and then an RPI error allowed the Golden Knights to tie the game.
Clarkson took its first lead two innings later. Consecutive singles by senior John Coleman and Ludden opened the inning and one out later a groundout by junior Greg Jasek scored Coleman. Will Coleman followed with a single to score Ludden and give Clarkson a 3-1 lead. Clarkson tacked on one more in the fourth inning when consecutive RPI errors allowed juniorAnthony Padrazo to score. That would be the last of the scoring as sophomore Dom Pirro and Will Coleman did not allow an RPI run in the final eight innings. Pirro pitched the first seven innings, scattering six hits while only allowing the single run and Coleman pitched the final two frames without giving up a single hit.
Echeverria (Longmeadow, MA / Longmeadow) threw his fourth complete game, allowing just two earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts. He is now 4-2 on the season.
