TROY, N.Y. – Sophomore Henry Strmecki went 3 for 5 with a home to lead the Middlebury College baseball team to a 14-9 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), in a non-league game at Robison Field on Wednesday afternoon. With the win, the Panthers improve to 11-5, while the Engineers drop to 9-9.

Strmecki (Wilton, CT/Wilton) opened the scoring with an RBI-single to center in the top of the first inning. He then came home on a sacrifice fly by Hayden Smith later in the frame for an early 2-0 lead.

RPI quickly drew even with two runs of its own in the bottom half of the frame. Back-to-back doubles from sophomore Joseph Curci (Chicago, IL/University of Chicago High School) and senior Austin Lawrence (East Greenbush, NY/Columbia) tied the score at 2-2.

Senior righthander Patrick McMackin (South Burlington, VT/South Burlington) set the Panthers down in order in the top of the second, followed by a five-run bottom half. Curci delivered the big blow in the frame, drilling an opposite field grand slam over the high fence in right for a 7-2 lead.

Middlebury quickly got three of those runs back in the top of the third, thanks to bases loaded walks drawn by juniors Kevin Woodring (Norwalk, CT/Greenwich) and Gray Goolsby (Austin, TX/Vandergrift), sandwiching a wild pitch.

A three-run top of the fifth then gave the visitors the lead for good (8-7), as Goolsby came through with an RBI-ground out, ahead of a two-run homer to left by Strmecki.

The Panthers added some insurance into the top of the ninth, scoring six runs on five hits. The rally was highlighted by a two-run single from Goolsby, after senior right fielder Sam Graf (Loma, CO/Fruita Monument) drove in one with a double.

Lawrence capped the scoring in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run homer to deep right, with two down in the inning.

Freshman lefty Alex Price (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) earned the win on the hill, allowing one run on two hits over 2.1 innings. RPI sophomore Jake Nichols (Granby, CT/Granby Memorial) shouldered the loss, giving up three runs on three hits in 1.0 inning.

The Engineers return to action on Saturday, when they visit Vassar College for a Liberty League doubleheader (1pm). Middlebury travels to Tufts for a twin bill on Saturday (12:30pm).