POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Junior Thomas Desmond was a perfect 4 for 4 at the plate to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team to a 10-1 win over Vassar College in Game 1 of a doubleheader. The Engineers, who won Game 2, 3-0, in a rain-shortened contest, improve to 13-22 overall (12-8 Liberty League), while the Brewers drop to 17-18 (11-9 Liberty League).

The Brewers were unable to hold the potent RPI offense off the board in Game 1, as the Engineers scored in three runs in the second and sixth innings, while posting two runs in the third and fifth to pull away from Vassar. That was plenty of run support for RPI starter Brendan McNerney, who tossed a complete game, allowing four hits and striking out five batters.

RPI got on the board in the second inning to open the game's scoring, as the Engineers benefitted from three Vassar errors in the frame to plate three unearned runs. The Engineers added two more in the third, as Thomas Desmond and Sam Lawrence posted RBI singles.

The Brewers got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Matt Hernandez scored Nick Johnson on a sacrifice fly to make the score 5-1. That was as close as the Brewers would get though, as RPI pulled away for the win.

Johnson was 2-for-3 with his 16th double of the season, while senior Dakota Sagnelli and freshman Jake Doyle each had singles for the Brewers. Adam Erkis went five innings for the Brewers, allowing nine hits and four earned runs while striking out four batters. Sophomore Derek Demild tossed 1.1 innings in relief, surrendering just one hit.

Desmond finished 4-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored, and Tyler Stephens was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Lawrence also had two hits and two RBI, and Weston Hawkins was 2-for-4 with two runs.

Rain and wet conditions forced the end of the second game of the day, as RPI was able to snag a 3-0 victory after posting a run in the third and two in the fourth, before the game was called in the middle of the sixth. 

RPI struck first with a sacrifice fly in the top of the third, as Hawkins plated Matt Lawrence on a sacrifice fly. Vassar had a chance to get on the board in the bottom of the second before RPI took the lead, but stranded three runners after Adam Kalish was able to work out of a jam for the Engineers.

Matt Lawrence and Justin Valente would each pick up RBI in the top of the fourth to make the score 3-0. Vassar nearly trimmed into the RPI advantage in the fourth inning, but Eric Strickland was gunned down at the plate trying to score a fly ball by Sagnelli.

Sophomore Bobby Kinne was 2-for-3 for the Brewers, and Strickland and Cory Wuenschell each posted doubles in in the loss. Vassar's Trent Bergwent five innings on the mound, allowing no earned runs and five hits while striking out five.

Sam Lawrence posted three hits in game two for RPI, while Matt Lawrence and Stephens each had a pair of knocks in the win.

The Engineers are back in action on Wednesday, when they host Union College in a non-conference game (4:30pm). Vassar hosts Manhattanville on Wednesday (4pm).