TROY, N.Y. – The Middlebury College baseball team rallied for 11 late runs to defeat Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 12-2, on Thursday afternoon at Robison Field. The contest was called an inning short, due to lack of sunlight. With win, the Panthers improve to 1-1 on the season, while the Engineers drop to 3-4.

Trailing by a run in the top of the sixth, Middlebury scored three times to take a 4-2 lead. With runners at the corners and nobody out, the Panthers pulled off a double steal to tie the game at 2-2. After a flyout to right, sophomore Henry Strmecki (Wilton, CT/Wilton) plated the go-ahead run with an infield single to short. Two batters later, Strmecki came home on an RPI error.

Middlebury blew the game open in the seventh, scoring seven runs on six hits and three Engineers miscues. Back-to-back singles to left field by freshman Andrew Gough (Lake Forest, IL/Lake Forest) and junior Hayden Smith (Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA/Palos Verdes Peninsula) made it 6-2, before squeeze bunt from Brooks Carroll (Davidson, NC/Hough) pushed the lead to 7-2. A pair of RPI errors contributed to four more runs coming across.

Strmecki then capped the scoring the contest with an RBI-single to third base, that brought home junior Justin Han (Vienna, VA/George C. Marshall).

The Engineers answered a third inning Middlebury run with one of their own in the bottom half. Freshman Jack Moncur (Burlington, ON/Notre Dame Catholic) walked with the bases loaded to bring in sophomore Jimmy Woods (Burlington, CT/IMG Academy).

Sophomore Jake Defayette (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont) gave the hosts a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth, lifting an opposite field home run to left – the first his collegiate career.

Senior righthanded Brendan McNerney (Arsley, NY/Ardsley) held the Panthers hitless into the fifth inning, before allowing a soft line drive single to right with one down. He went on to finish the inning and concluded his day by allowing a single run on a hit and five walks, striking out seven. Sophmore Mike Tagaris (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) took the loss on the hill, giving up three runs (2 earned) on three hits in 1.0 inning.

Middlebury sophomore George Goldenstein (Westport, CT/Staples) earned the win in relief, surrendering a run on two hits in 3.0 innings. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.

The Engineers are back in action next Wednesday, when they host Elms College at Robison Field (4pm). The Panthers visit Emory for a three-game set, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday (12pm).