CANTON, N.Y. - Freshman Brendan McNerney and sophomore Aaron Kalish combined to throw 14 scoreless innings to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of St. Lawrence University, on Saturday at Tom Fay Field. With wins of 5-0 and 7-0, the Engineers improve to 14-25 (13-11 Liberty League), while the Saints fall to 14-25 (12-12 Liberty League).

McNerney (Ardsley, NY/Ardsley) allowed just six hits in a 7.0 inning complete game, striking out six and walking three, in Game 1. 

RPI rallied for three runs in the bottom of the second to open the scoring. Sophomore JT Sawyer (Johnsonville, NY/Hoosic Valley) and junior Yahriel Jimenez (San Juan, PR/Cupeyville) both walked with one out in the frame. Sophomore Christian Spagnuola (Commack, NY/Commack) then singled to center, loading the bases for junior Matt Lawrence (Chicago, IL/University of Chicago High School), who doubled down the line in right to plate two. A wild pitch then allowed Spagnuola to come home for a 3-0 lead.

The Engineers added a pair of runs in the fourth, thanks to blooper off the bat of freshman Tyler Stephens (Rancho Sante Fe, CA/Sante Fe Christian) that drove in Lawrence from third. Sam Lawrence (Chicago, IL/University of Chicago High School) followed with a sacrifice fly to left for a 5-0 lead.

McNerney gave up a single and a walk to lead off the sixth, but got out of the inning unscathed. SLU then put a runner on in the seventh, but a 4-6-3 double-play eliminated the threat and McNerney induced a lineout to end the game.

Matt Lawrence went 3 for 4 with a run and two RBI. Junior Justin Valente was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

In Game 2, Kalish (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) held St. Lawrence to just three hits over the first 7.0 innings to earn his second win of the season. Senior Charles Parslow (Fonda, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) worked the final two innings in relief for the combined shutout.

Junior Thomas Desmond (Alamo, CA/De LaSalle) drove in the game's first run with an opposite field single in the bottom of the first. Matt Lawrence then roped a single to left in the second, scoring Sawyer from second for a 2-0 lead.

RPI doubled its lead in the fourth (4-0), scoring a sacrifice fly from Spagnuola and junior Justin Valente (West Palm Beach, FL/Saint Andrews).

Desmond plated the Engineers' fifth run in the sixth with one his three hits in the game. Sam Lawrence backed that up with an RBI-single for a 6-0 lead.

Sawyer capped the scoring with single through the left side of the infield in the eighth, bringing Desmond home.

Kalish (2-6) surrendered three hits in 7.0 innings, striking out seven without a walk. Parslow gave up a walk and a hit with one strikeout in 2.0 innings.

Desmond went 3 for 5 with a run and two RBI. Sawyer was 2 for 2 with a walk, two runs and an RBI, while Jimenez finished 2 for 4 with a walk and a run.

The Engineers will face Union College to open the double-elimination Liberty League Tournament, which begins on Thursday (TBD).