NEW YORK, N.Y. - Senior
Sean Conroy gave up just one in game two to help the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team to a doubleheader split with Vassar College on Sunday. After falling 4-3 in eight innings, the Engineers (10-8; 9-3 Liberty League) bounced back to win 8-1 in game two. Vassar moves to 2-8 (1-7 Liberty League).
In game one, RPI put together a three run fourth to turn around an early 1-0 deficit. Sophomore
Jason Ramos got the rally started with an RBI-double to the gap in right center. Classmate
Thomas Desmond followed with a two-run triple to give the visitors a 3-1 lead.Â
After two scoreless innings, Vassar plated two in the bottom of the seventh to draw even at 3-3. Bradley Kendall doubled down the line in right with one away, before coming around to score on a single by freshman Eric Strickland. After moving to second on an error, Strickland made his way to third by way of a groundout. He then came home to tie the game on a wild pitch.
The Engineers went down in order in the top of the eighth and the Brewers capitalized in the bottom half. Dakota Sagnelli tripled with one out and scored on a single from Matt Hernandez.
In the nightcap, Conroy went all 7.0 innings to pick up his second win the year. He allowed just one run on seven hits and a walk, while striking out seven.
RPI got on the board early, as
Nick Palmiero drove in a first-inning run with a single. An RBI-base hit by
Jared Jensen and a run-scoring double from
Tim LeSuer highlighted a two-run third, which gave the Engineers a 3-0 lead.
Following a two-run fifth, which included RBI-ground outs from Palmiero and Desmond, Rensselaer put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh, scoring three more on two hits and an error.
Vassar finally got to Conroy in the bottom of the seventh, as Kendall singled home Bennett Nagurka with two away.
The Engineers are back on the diamond next weekend, when they play a home-and-home four-game series with Bard College. RPI is home for two on Saturday (1pm), before traveling to Annandale-on-Hudson on Sunday (12pm). Vassar visits RIT for four on Saturday (1pm) and Sunday (12pm).
