TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team continued their strong start to their 2024 season, as the Engineers took a win and a tie with the Hartford Hawks on the road Friday evening. RPI won 7-3 in the first game before drawing 5-5 due to darkness in Game Two.
 
Game 1
RPI wasted no time getting on the board, as Erin Askins led off the game in the top of the first with a bunt single. After advancing to second on a groundout and getting to third on a wild pitch, she scored on an RBI single from Callista Adorno through the right side of the infield to give the Engineers a 1-0 lead just three batters in.
 
Alex Ledger added to the lead, smacking a three-run home run in the top of the third inning to extend the RPI lead to 4-0. Singles from Ryleigh Falvey and Evann McDowell in the top of the sixth inning brought the Engineers lead to 7-0.
 
Hartford scored a trio of runs over the final two innings, but graduate student Brooke Sroczinski shut the door and clinched the win in the circle.
 
Game 2
Ledger continued her strong day with an RBI single in the top of the first inning, scoring Askins for a 1-0 RPI lead. Ledger then backed up a score from McDowell on a wild pitch with a solo home run for her second long ball of the day to make it 3-0 RPI in the third inning.
 
RPI added a run in the fourth and in the fifth, with Ledger adding another RBI with a groundout to score Maddy Brooks for a 5-0 RPI lead.
 
From there, Hartford chipped away as they scored their first runs of the game with a two-run double from Sarah Serrano in the bottom of the fifth to make it 5-2.
 
In the sixth, an RPI error that scored one run then led to a two-run home run from Mara Sczecienski to tie the game up at 5-5. After the third out of the inning, the game was called due to darkness.
 
The engineers return to action on Sunday, April 24 at 1 and 3 p.m. when they host their home opener at Doris Robison Field against the Russell Sage Gators.