TROY, N.Y. - Junior Stephanie Caudle threw a complete game shutout in Game 1 and senior Victoria Hepworth went 5.2 innings in Game 2 to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) on Wednesday at Doris Robison Field. With wins of 1-0 and 4-2, the Engineers improve to 12-4 overall, while the Trailblazers drop to 4-8.

Caudle allowed just three hits in 7.0 innings to improve to 5-2 on the season. She struck out five and walked four. Rachel Quackenbush (3-3) was the tough luck loser, allowing one unearned run on four hits in 6.1 innings. She had three strikeouts and three walks.

The only run of the game was scored in the bottom of the seventh, which opened with sophomore Kacie Herity drawing a walk. Rebecca Kienz then reached on an error, with pinch runner Victoria Greco moving the third on the play. Junior Morgan Kollmeier then lifted a fly ball to the center, scoring Greco from third.

Both teams had opportunities to break the scoreless tie. Kollmeier led off the home half of the first inning with a triple, but a pair of pop ups and a grounder got MCLA out of the inning.

The Trailblazers drew three walks in the top of the fifth, but a pick-off and two shallow fly balls kept the scoreboard clean.

A single and an error put two on with nobody out in the top of the sixth. An infield single by Sam Boyle then loaded the bases for MCLA, but the next batter lined into a double play, quelling the rally. 

After a quiet bottom of the sixth, the Trailblazers went down in order in the top of the seventh, setting up Kollmeier's heroics in the bottom half.

Game 2 saw RPI jump out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, scoring a run on a throwing error after Kollmeier singled and stole second.

MCLA pulled even in the top of the second, thanks to a single by Angelica Perfido and an RPI error on a bunt attempt by Quackenbush, which allowed Perfido to score all the way from first.

The Engineers took the lead back for good in the bottom of the third as Kientz reached on an infield single, advanced on a sac bunt by Kollmeier, stole third and came home on a wild pitch.

An RBI-groundout off the bat of Devan Puhl gave RPI a 3-1 lead in the fifth, but the Trailblazers answered with a bases loaded walk in the sixth, drawing within 3-2.

Kollmeier delivered a two-out, RBI-base hit up the middle in the bottom of the sixth to make it a two-run game once again (4-2).

Freshman righthander Stephanie Deeb, who came on to get the final out of the sixth, finished off MCLA in the seventh to earn her third save of the season. Hepworth (3-0) allowed two runs (1 earned) on three hits in 5.2 innings. She struck out two and walked three.

Katie Henault, who started the game for the Trailblazers, surrendered four runs (3 earned) on eight hits in 5.1 innings.

The Engineers are back in action next Tuesday, when they visit Oneonta for a doubleheader (3pm). MCLA hosts Southern Vermont tomorrow (3:30pm).