TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team opened the 2020 season with a bang, pounding out 20 hits a 17-6 victory over Westfield State University, on Wednesday afternoon at Robison Field at Karl Steffen Ballpark. The Engineers begin the year at 1-0, while the Owls are 0-1.

After a scoreless first inning, RPI plated four in the bottom of the second. Junior Hudson Livesey (Delmar, NY/St. Petersburgh) singled home a pair to get the scoring started, before an RBI-groundout from senior shortstop Jimmy Jankowski (Bellport, NY/Bellport) and a base hit by sophomore second baseman George Rainer (Mount Sanai, NY/Mount Sanai) plated two more.

The Owls got themselves on the scoreboard in the top of the third on a run-scoring double off the bat of junior Nick Martin (Shrewsbury, MA/Shrewsbury), bringing home senior Casey Bourdreau (Shrewsbury, MA/Shrewsbury).

A Jack Vaccari (Hopkinton, MA/Hopkinton) sacrifice fly got the run back in the bottom half of the inning, before the two teams traded run in the fourth, leaving RPI with a 7-3 lead after four complete.
Senior Brett Dooley (Cohasset, MA/The Gunnery) hit the visitors' second home run of the game in top of the fifth, before sac fly from classmate Jake Gibb (Stoughton, MA/Stoughton) drew the Owls to within 7-5.

RPI answered with a five-run bottom half of the fifth to create some separation. Vaccari started the outburst with a two-run, opposite field home run with junior Joseph Curci (Chicago, IL/University of Chicago High School) aboard. Junior Jake Defayette (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont) then singled-home a pair, before classmate Richard Drum (Clifton Park, NY/Schenendehowa) completed the rally with an RBI-double to straight away center.

Junior Sean Moorhouse (Westfield, MA/Westfield) plated Westfield State's final run of the contest in the top of the eight with his second homer of the day.

The Engineers came right back with their second five-run frame to close out the scoring. Defayette highlighted the inning with a two-run triple to the gap in left center.

Six RPI players finished with multiple hits, including Rainer, who went 4 for 5 with two runs and three runs batted in. Defayette was 3 for 5 with two triples, two runs and a game-high five RBIs, while Livesey finished 3 for 4 with a double two runs and two RBIs. Vaccari went 2 for 2 with a double, a home run, two runs and three RBIs.

Moorhouse led the Owls offensively with a 2 for 4 day, hitting two homers with two runs and three RBIs. Martin went 2 for 4 with one run and one RBI.

Junior Chris Grome (Framingham, MA/Dexter Southfield School) picked up the win in relief, allowing just one hit over 2.1 innings, striking out six without a walk. Senior starter Christopher Palmiero (Patterson, NY/Carmel) gave up three runs on six hits over 4.0 innings, striking out seven and walking one.

The Engineers are back in action on Sunday, when they take on the College of St. Scholastica in Winter Haven, Fla. (1:30pm). Westfield State plays Penn St.-Abington on Saturday in Leesburg, Fla. (5pm).