TROY, N.Y. - Alex Vallee allowed just two hits in five innings, four relievers threw four scoreless innings and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) offense scored nine runs on 11 hits in defeating Keene State College 9-1 in a non-league baseball game. The win is the fourth in a row for the Engineers (4-1), while the Owls drop to 0-4.

Vallee, a sophomore making his first collegiate start, gave up just two hits and an unearned run with five strikeouts to earn the win. He walked two. Brendan Bucceri, Rylan Wade, Colby August and Sam Stone each worked an inning, combining on three strikeouts with only three hits allowed and no walks. It was the season debut for all four hurlers.

Offensively, Martin Marintchev, Aidan Hicks and George Ranier each had two hits to lead the attack. Hicks also had two runs and a run batted in, while Ranier scored once and knocked in three.

The Engineers managed two unearned runs in their first at bat and followed with a bases loaded walk by Ranier and a sacrifice fly by Jake Defayette. Keene State scored once in the top of the third inning.

Defayette drove in Ranier with a single to right center field for a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning before Hicks made it 6-1 with an RBI single in the next frame. A three-run seventh inning was highlighted by a two-run single by Ranier.

Sophomore Nathaniel Hudson had two of Keene State's four hits, including a double, and it's only run. Five pitchers allowed five earned runs with six strikeouts and five walks with starter Brendan Muhs taking the loss.

RPI is back on the field on Friday when it hosts Middlebury College in a doubleheader beginning at 1:15pm. The Owls play McDaniel College in a doubleheader on Sunday in South Carolina.