TROY, NY - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball swept Ithaca College on Saturday afternoon for the first time in school history in the Engineers' home and league opener. RPI took game one, 6-1, before winning the second, 5-0.

RPI's (12-4, 2-0 Liberty League) game one win over the Bombers, who received votes in the latest national poll, was the first time the Engineers have been victorious over Ithaca since March 24, 2012. Additionally, it was the second time in series history that Rensselaer took one from Ithaca (9-6, 0-2 Liberty League) at home. The last time the Bombers fell at Doris Robison Field was on April 20, 2011.

In game one, sophomore Allie Hunt  went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a triple, one RBI and one run while senior ace Sarah Harms was credited with the win with two strikeouts and no earned runs against. Meanwhile, sophomore Veronica DeStefano and senior Christine White led the Red and White offense in game two going a combined 3-for-6 with three RBI's, one run and three walks. Sophomore Jaime Cleasby won her fourth straight game for Rensselaer in game two going the distance for shutout with three strikeouts.

After a field error extended the first inning in game one, White put the Engineers up 1-0 in the first inning on a Hunt triple to right field.

After a one hit, scoreless first inning from Ithaca, sophomore Steph Cavallaro scored on a DeStefano single RBI. Senior Rebecca Kienz then scored on the same play when a throwing error gave her a clear path to home plate. Up 3-0 with one out, DeStefano scored on Bombers fielding error to extend the lead. During the next at bat, Ithaca pitcher Emily Holden caught a line drive, but sophomore Cam Caswell scored to put the Engineers up 5-0 on a throwing error.

Both teams remained scoreless for the next one and half innings until Ithaca's Hannah Anderson scored an unearned run off an Abby Shields single up the middle.

In the bottom of the sixth, Ithaca placed senior Emily Bloom on first with a single to the shortstop with one out on the board. The following at bat, Kienz made a heads up double play in center after running in a shallow hit ball. The centerfielder recorded the flyout and then threw Bloom out at first before she could tag up.

Rensselaer extended its lead to 6-1 in the top of seventh when Hunt crossed the plate on a Devan Puhl single up the middle.

The Bombers needed a five-run rally to extend the game, but Harms and the RPI defense held strong for the win.

Ithaca's Haley Congdon (3-2) picked up the loss with two strikeouts and four unearned runs against. Sophomore Emily Holden came in on relief to for the Bombers to pitch 5.2 innings with three strikeouts and one earned run against.

In game two, the Engineers sent sophomore Jaime Cleasby to the mound against Ithaca's Beth Fleming. Cleasby (4-2) went the distance for the win and allowed no runs and just five hits, two walks, and struck out three. Fleming (3-4) got the loss in her three innings in the circle, allowing three earned runs on four hits, four walks, and two strikeouts. Shannon Grage relieved Fleming and allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits, one walk, and five strikeouts in her four innings of work.

After a scoreless first inning, RPI got on the board in the second inning. Maddie Provencher led off the inning with a walk, and moved into scoring position after another walk to Cavallaro. Kienz hit a single to load the bases, and Provencher crossed the plate thanks to an RBI single from DeStefano.

Rensselaer added another in the third after an RBI double from Victoria Greco, and extended their lead further in the fourth, thanks to a two-RBI single from White, and an RBI fielder's choice from Hunt, putting the score at 5-0 after four.

Cleasby sealed the door shut from there, allowing just two hits from the fourth inning on to give RPI the victory.

The Engineers scored five runs on seven hits and left nine runners on base. The Bombers, meanwhile, had five hits and left eight runners on base. DeStefano led the Engineers offensively in game two, going 2 for 3 from the plate with an RBI and a stolen base. Allie Colleran was 2 for 4 with a double for Ithaca.

RPI is set to take on Liberty League rival Union on the road in a conference doubleheader. The first pitch is set to be thrown at 1pm.