TROY, N.Y. – Junior Brendan Smith pitched 5.0 shutout innings and the Bates College baseball team pounded out 20 hits in defeating Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 18-3, on Wednesday afternoon at Robison Field. With the win, the Bobcats improve to 10-11 overall, while the Engineers drop to 13-13.

Smith (Hingham, MA/Hingham) allowed just two hits and two walks, with a strikeout as the starter for Bates. He was skated to a 7-0 lead before throwing a pitch.

After a flyout opened the top of the first inning, sophomores Jack Arend (Newfields NH/St. John's Prep) and Zach Avila (San Francisco, CA/Stuart Hall) walked in front of an RBI-single by junior Dan Trulli (Melrose, MA/St. John's Prep). Two more walks scored a second run, before junior Justin White (Whitesboro, NY/Middlesex School) plated two with a deep single to center. Two more run-scoring hits and an RPI error made it 7-0 after just half an inning.

An RBI-single from sophomore Will Sylvia (Newton, MA/Xaverian Brothers) in the third and a sacrifice fly by Kyle Carter (Plantation, FL/American Heritage) pushed the lead to 9-0 after four innings.
Bates added three in the sixth and three in the seventh for a 15-0 lead.

The Engineers got on the board in the bottom of the seventh, beginning with an RBI-single by junior Austin Lawrence (East Greenbush, NY/Columbia) that scored senior Weston Hawkins (Fleetwood, PA/Fleetwood) from third. Freshman Jake Defayette (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont) added a second run with a sac fly to left, before sophomore Jack Vaccari (Hopkinton, MA/Hopkinton) line a single to center, scoring freshman Peter Close (Guilderland, NY/Christian Brothers Academy).

Bates came back with two in the eighth and one in the ninth to cap the scoring. The final two frames were highlighted by the first collegiate base hits from freshmen Aidan McLaughlin (Norton, MA/Xaverian Brothers) and Colin Coyne (Falmouth, ME/Falmouth).

Trulli led the way offensively for the Bobcats, going 4 for 5 with a double, two runs scored and three runs batted in. White went 2 for 4 with a run and four RBI, while Avila finished 3 for 4 with three runs and an RBI.

RPI saw Lawrence go 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI, while Hawkins wound up 1 for 2 with a run. Freshman Thomas Neuman (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Westminster Academy) was the lone RPI pitcher to work a scoreless outing, surrendering just one hit in the seventh, with a strikeout.

The Engineers are back on the diamond this weekend, when they visit RIT for a four-game series. Doubleheaders get underway at 1pm on Saturday and 12pm on Sunday. Bates heads to Bard for a non-league game tomorrow (4pm).