ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Freshman Brendan McNerney threw the second complete game in his last three starts to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team to a Liberty League doubleheader split at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), on Sunday. After falling in Game 1, 6-0, the Engineers (10-19; 9-7 LL) battled back for a 6-2 victory over the Tigers (12-12; 7-5 LL) in Game 2.

McNerney (4-2) went the distance for RPI, allowing two runs on five hits in 9.0 innings. He threw 135 pitches, striking out a career-high nine batters, while walking four. Jameson Moran (2-1) lasted just 2.0 innings for RIT, giving up three runs (2 earned) on three hits.

The Engineers struck quickly, plating two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Junior Sam Lawrence doubled to right center, before Ethann Meister brought him around with an RBI-groundout.

A run-scoring single off the bat of junior Yahriel Jimenez made it a 3-0 lead in the second, as classmate Justin Valente came home after leading off the frame with a walk.

After two scoreless innings, the Engineers made it 4-0 in the fifth. Jimenez worked a full count before drawing a walk to open the stanza. Junior Matt Lawrence then dropped down a sacrifice bunt, moving Jimenez to second. Freshman Tyler Stephens then came through with a double down the right field line to drive in the run.

RIT drew crept back into the game in the sixth, taking advantage of a pair of RPI errors to score run. Sophomore Dom Scialabba followed with a solo home run in the seventh to cut the lead to 4-2.

The Tigers then loaded the bases in the top of the eighth, without the benefit of a hit, but McNerney induced a pop-out from Scialabba to end the threat.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Engineers tacked on a pair of insurance runs, as Valente and J.T. Sawyer delivered RBI-swings. Valente singled home Meister with a base hit through the left side, before a squeeze bunt from J.T. Sawyer plated Jeff Sitarski from third.

Game 1 saw senior Brandon Cohall (3-2) throw a one-hitter for the Tigers. He struck out 10 and walked one. Aaron Kalish (1-4) took the loss for RPI, allowing five runs (4 earned) on six hits in 5.2 innings. He struck out eight and walked two.

The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth, when junior Will Gorman homered. A four-run sixth opened things up, as Scialabba, freshman Daniel Zeglen and junior Mike Myers all came up with run-scoring hits. A throwing error allowed the fourth run of the inning to score.

The Tigers added one more run in the seventh an on RBI-single by junior Phil Sammon.

RPI is back in action on April 26, when it hosts Amherst College in a non-leagu game at Robison Field (4pm). RIT welcomes Brockport on Tuesday (4pm).