Game 1 Box |
Game 2 Box |
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TROY, N.Y. - Junior
Brendan McNerney pitched a complete game, two-hitter and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team banged out 10 runs on 13 hits in defeating Skidmore College in the first game of a Liberty League doubleheader at Robison Field. The Thoroughbreds bounced back to win game two, 4-3, on a walk-off single in the 10th inning.
In the opener, the Engineers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single from
Noah Normyle and a two-RBI double from
Jack Vaccari. McNerney made it stand up, allowing only an RBI double to Matt Chipkin in the second inning for an unearned run, a single and three walks on his way to improving to 2-1. He struck out four in his 7.0 innings of work.
Offensively, Rensselaer added three runs in the fourth and fifth innings and a single run in the sixth for the final margin. Vaccari went 3 for 4 with a run and two RBI to lead the way. Normyle was 2 for 3 with a run and two runs batted in,
Richard Drum had two hits in three at bats with three runs scored and
Nick Busby was 2 for 3 with a run and two RBI for the Engineers, who are now 5-6 and 1-1.
Will Potter had a single for Skidmore, which saw Sam Beck take the loss. He allowed 10 hits and nine runs (6 earned) with a walk in 4.1 innings of work.
In the nightcap, the Thoroughbreds erased a 3-2 deficit by scoring a run in the eighth inning and the game-winner in the 10th to improve to 6-5 and 1-1. Chipkin started the eighth inning with a single and eventually scored on a two-out single to centerfield by Hayden Smith. Two innings later, Mike Fogarty's single to shortstop plated Nate Scheinman to give Skidmore the split.
Fogarty (2 for 3, 1 RBI), Smith (2 for 6, 1 RBI) and Chipkin (2 for 5, 2 runs, 1 RBI) each had multiple hits in the win. Andrew Aikens earned the win on the mound, striking out three with two walks in two innings of relief.
Kyle LaMantia took the loss for the Engineers, who had six hits from six different players. Drum had a double, a run and an RBI, along with a stolen base and Vaccari had a single and a stolen base.
The same two teams meet on Sunday for a doubleheader at Robison Field. First pitch of game one is set for noon.
