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Springfield, Mass. - The Springfield College football team scored 24 unanswered points and forced five turnovers to topple Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 24-7, in Liberty League action at Stagg Field. The win boosts the Pride's record to 5-4 overall and 4-2 in league play, while the Engineers drop to 4-5 and 2-5. 

Springfield outgained RPI, 310-165, on the day and held a 296-64 advantage in the rushing game. Jake Eglintine totaled 132 yards on the ground and scored two touchdowns, while Dominic Traversa anchored the defensive unit with a game-high 12 stops, including two tackles for loss.

Alexander Greenridge paced the Engineers with 11 stops and Nick Cella scored the visitors only touchdown as he finished the day with 37 rushing yards. 

Springfield fumbled the ball four times in the opening quarter, with the last cough up proving to be the most costly. After the Pride benefited from a Christian Zotti (Newington, Conn.) interception on the three-yard line with 50 seconds left in the quarter, a Pride fumble on the next play gave the visitors prime field position. On the ensuing play, Cella punched it in from two yards out and a Christian Kapp extra point put RPI on top 7-0.

The Pride put together a long drive in the second quarter, however its 19-play, 73-yard series which took nearly 10 minutes off the clock ultimately came up empty. Springfield converted a pair of fourth downs in the drive, benefiting from a Whit DeVaux fake punt that resulted in a 16-yard rush, and a Hunter Belzo 10 yard reception. The Pride's drive came to a close when its fourth and goal bid from the six yardline fell incomplete.  

Springfield held the ball for nearly 18 minutes in the half, but went into the break trailing 7-0. 

The Pride scored its first touchdown of the game on its second possesion of the third quarter when Eglintine took snap and busted a 56 yard touchdown up the middle to even things with 7:07 on the clock. That was the only scoring of the third quarter.
 
Just five plays into the fourth quarter, Springfield's Nick Pydeski forced a fumble that was recovered by teammate Kenny Calaj and two plays later Eglingtine broke free for a 44 yard run down the right side to double the lead. After forcing a three-and-out, the Pride made it a two-score game when Blake Heller drilled a 34 yard field goal with 7:28 left in regulation.

Following RPI's fourth turnover of the game, a sack fumble by Josh Corporan, the Pride took over on the Engineers one-yard line. Three plays later, Springfield went into its bag of tricks as Tyler Hyde took a halfback toss and delivered a strike to Jakai Whittingham all alone in the back of the end zone to push the Prides' lead to 24-7 with 4:04 remaining.

RPI returns to the field on Saturday when it honors its seniors prior to playing rival Union College in the Dutchman Shoes Trophy Game - the season finale for both teams - at East Campus Stadium in Troy. Kickoff is at noon.