TROY, N.Y. – Senior captain Thomas Desmond capped an 11th-inning rally with a two-run, walk-off single to help the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of Clarkson University, on Saturday afternoon at Robison Field. With matching 6-5 victories, the Engineers improve to 10-12 overall (5-3 Liberty League), while the Golden Knights drop to 7-9 (4-4 Liberty League).

Desmond (Alamo, CA/De LaSalle) had a hand in two-extra inning comeback in Game 2 of the doubleheader, singling home tying run in the bottom of 10th, before roping a walk-off base hit to left center in the 11th.

Clarkson took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 10th inning on single up the middle by sophomore catcher Brad Pearson (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa), which scored senior Chris Miller (Ballston Lake, NY/Shenendehowa). The Engineers were able to escape further damage, when junior third baseman J.T. Sawyer (Johnsonville, NY/Hoosic Valley) turned a 5-3 double play to end the frame.

Back-to-back walks followed a leadoff strikeout in the bottom of the 10th, setting up Desmond with the game-tying knock. His hard-hit ball up the middle deflected off the glove of the pitcher and passed the second baseman into the right field, scoring classmate Sam Lawrence (Chicago, IL/University of Chicago High School) from second.

The Golden Knights regained the lead in the 11th, opening with a single to right center by freshman Joe Stockman (Northport, NY/Northport) and a bunt hit from sophomore Mike Messier (Hopkinton, MA/Hopkinton). A fielder's choice, followed by a strikeout and a stolen base, put two runners in scoring position with two away. Senior Dom Pirro (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) came through with a two-run single up the middle to give the Golden Knights a 5-3 lead.

After a quick groundout in bottom half, an error and a hit batter put two runners on. Lawrence brought RPI to within 5-4 with an opposite field single to right, before junior captain Christian Spagnuola (Commack, NY/Commack) singled through the left side of the infield to load the bases. Desmond then cracked his second hit in as many innings over the head of Stockman at short, plating the tying and winning runs.

Senior righthander Mike Paleologopoulos (South Hadley, MA/South Hadley) earned the win in relief of sophomore Brendan McNerney (Ardsley, NY/Ardsley), pitching 3.0 innings and allowing three runs (2 earned) on five hits. He struck out one without a walk. McNerney surrendered two runs on seven hits in 8.0 innings. Throwing 122 pitches, he struck out four and walked three.

Game 1 saw sophomore righthander Patrick McMackin (South Burlington, VT/South Burlington) work 5.0 innings for his first win of the year. He gave up just one unearned run on five hits, with three strikeouts and three walks.

After the two teams traded runs in the second, RPI put up five in the bottom of the fourth for a 6-1 lead. Desmond and junior Ethann Meister (Santa Teresa, NM/Santa Teresa) highlighted the rally with back-to-back RBI-singles, before a lineout double play put a halt to the inning.

Clarkson battled back with three runs in the top of the sixth, which included an RBI-double off the bat of freshman Cam Bando (Wakefield, MA/St. Paul's School).

A run-scoring groundout in the seventh brought the visitors with 6-5, but senior Adam Aponte (Wantagh, NY/Wantagh) came on for his second straight save, working the final 1.2 innings.

Both teams are back in action tomorrow afternoon for games 3 and 4 of the series, in which Clarkson will act as the home team. First pitch is scheduled for 12pm.