TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team took the field for the first time in 408 days on Friday afternoon, falling in a pair of Liberty League contest to the University of Rochester by scores of 8-5 and 10-5. The Engineers open their 2021 season at 0-2 (0-2 Liberty League), while the Yellowjackets improve to 13-5 (8-2 Liberty League).

In Game 1, RPI trailed 5-0 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, but was able get on the board in the frame to draw within 5-1, thanks to an run-scoring groundout from senior shortstop Jimmy Jankowski (Bellport, NY/Bellport Christian Brothers Academy) that scored sophomore Joey Saia (Voorheesville, NY/Clayton A. Bouton) from third.

After senior righthander Thomas Neuman (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Westminster Academy) posted a scoreless top of the sixth, the Engineers jumped on Rochester starter Jon Turk (Ramsey, NJ/Ramsey) for four runs to chase him from the game. Senior catcher Hudson Livesey (St. Petersburgh, FL/St. Petersburgh) drove home one run with a double to the gap in right center, before an opposite field single from Saia brought RPI to within 5-3.
Yellowjackets reliever Thomas Karpishin (San Mateo, CA/Hillsdale) then struck out the first batter he faced, before surrendering a double down the left field line by Jankowski. Classmate Jake Defayette (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont) then came through with a game-tying single to score Saia and knot the score at 5-5.

Rochester quickly regained the lead in the top of the seventh, however, as sophomore catcher John Moses (Union City, GA/Episcopal) ripped a line drive, two-run homer to left, after junior Harper Sy (Manila, Philippines/International School) led off the inning with a walk. Third baseman Jacob Matzat (Sherwood, OR/Sherwood) then added an insurance tally with a home run over the fence in right, giving the visitors an 8-5 lead.
Karpishin (1-1) worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to earn the victory on the hill. RPI starter Ryan Yerby (Montara, CA/Half Moon Bay) was tagged with the loss, allowing five runs on six hits over 5.0 innings. He struck out five and walked three.

Rochester broke open a tightly contested Game 2 in the middle innings, scoring four in the sixth and three in the seventh after carrying a narrow 2-1 advantage through five.
Back-to-back doubles from Defayette and classmate Jack Vaccari (Hopkinton, NH/Hopkinton) got the Engineers on the board first, before the visitors plated single runs in the third and fourth.

Junior Luke Piontek (Royersford, PA/Devon Prep) delivered a two-run single in the Rochester sixth, before Moses drove home two with his second triple of the game in the seventh.

Freshman Dillon Bevan (Villanova, PA/The Shipley School) earned his first collegiate victory, allowing two runs on five hits over 6.0 innings. He stuck out three and walked one to improve to 1-1 on the year. Rensselaer senior lefthander Chris Grome (Framingham, MA/Dexter Southfield School) took the loss, giving up six runs (4 earned) on six hits over 5.1 innings, collecting one strikeout and walking two.

Both teams are back in action tomorrow afternoon for a doubleheader in Rochester. First pitch is scheduled for 1pm.