TROY, N.Y. – Hunter Perkins went 4 for 7 with five runs batted in to lead the Castleton University baseball team to a 17-15 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), on Sunday afternoon at Robison Field at Karl Steffen Ballpark. With the win, the Spartans improve to 5-6 on the year, while the Engineers drop to 6-5.

With the game tied, 13-13, in the top of the ninth, Castleton scored four runs after loading the bases without nobody out. Perkins delivered what turned out the deciding blow, when he launched a two-run home run to right center, plating the Spartans' final two runs of the inning.

RPI rallied in the bottom of inning, as junior Martin Marinchev laced an opposite field two-run shot of his own to pull within 17-15, but Castleton reliever Jack Callahan (1-0) was able to induce a ground ball and a line out to deep left field to end the game with the tying run at the plate.

After the Spartans plated a pair in the top of the first, RPI battled back with one in the second and two in the third to take a brief 3-2 lead. Marinchev came through with an RBI-double, before Hudson Livesey lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring the go-ahead run.

Castleton then plated eight run in the top of the fourth, on just five hits, while taking advantage of two RPI errors. Perkins capped the rally with an infield single up the third base line that scored Jake O'Brien for a 10-3 lead.

The Engineers fought back with a four-run bottom half of the inning, which included RBI-singles from Jack Moncur, Marinchev and Livesey – the last of which brought RPI within 10-7.

After adding on two in the top of the sixth, Jackson Cardozo doubled home Tyler McLain in the seventh to put the Spartans up 13-7.

RPI then rallied for six runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull even at 13-apiece. Senior Cole Paquin came through with the biggest hit of the frame, scoring two with a double off the fence in right center. Marinchev also had a run-scoring base hit in the frame.

Max Olmsted was the Spartans most effective pitcher on the day, allowing two hits over 2.2 innings with five strikeouts. Adam Winchell allowed a hit and two walks over 1.2 innings, while Callahan gave up two runs on three hits in 1.0 inning.

Evan Mahns (0-1) suffered the loss on the hill for RPI, despite striking out the first four batters he faced. He ended up allowing two runs on two hits over 1.1 innings.

Offensively, Castleton was paced by Perkins' 4 for 7 day, which included a home run, three runs and five RBIs. Reece de Castro went 3 for 7 with two runs and one RBI.

The Engineers saw Marinchev come up a triple shy of the cycle, going 4 for 6 with a double, a home run, a runs scored and five RBIs. Moncur and Livesey each had three hits, while George Rainer was 2 for 3 with a double, two runs and two walks.

Rensselaer is back in action on Wednesday, when they host MCLA (4pm). Castleton visits Eastern Connecticut State for a Little East Conference doubleheader on Saturday (12pm).