HOJNACKI WINS AGAIN, BUT KNIGHTS SPLIT WITH UNION

April 17, 2004

Schenectady, NY – Junior righthander Dan Hojnacki (Attica, NY) threw a three-hitter to help lead the Clarkson University Baseball team to a doubleheader split with Union as the Golden Knights won the first Upstate Collegiate Athletic Conference (UCAA) contest 7-1, but dropping the night cap 15-5 Saturday afternoon at Buck Ewing Field.

The Golden Knights moved to 10-11 overall and 4-2 in the UCAA while the Dutchmen are 8-10 and 3-3. Clarkson faces Skidmore College in a doubleheader on Sunday.

In the first game, Hojnacki allowed two hits in the second, giving up a single run, and another hit in the fourth but the Dutchmen were unable to solve the junior for the remainder of the game. Hojnacki struck out seven and walked only one, dropping his ERA to 1.32 for the season through 34 innings. Hojnacki is now 4-1 on the season and is allowing opponents a .169 average.

Freshman Mike Ruffinen (Wynantskill, NY) opened the scoring for the Golden Knights, hitting a solo home run to centerfield in the second inning. The Golden Knights scored another on a delayed steal in the second and added a third run in the third inning with a run from Rob Cowin (Albany, NY) on a ground out. Clarkson added runs in the fifth, sixth and two in the seventh to put up seven runs in the game. Junior second baseman J.J. Lorence (Liverpool, NY) went 4-for-4 with a run scored while Cowin went 2-for-4 with a pair of stolen bases.

In the second game, Union wasted little time offensively, capitalizing on two errors from Clarkson to score seven in the first inning. After a two-run home run from freshman T.J. Brinkman (Troy, NY) pulled Clarkson to a 7-2 deficit, the Dutchmen added two more runs in the second inning. David Potter (Crown Point, NY) came on in relief for the Golden Knights and allowed three hits over the next five innings to hold down the Union offense. However, Clarkson could not come through over the next few frames, despite having baserunners in all but one inning. Union scored two more in the seventh and four more in the eight inning before Clarkson shortened the Dutchmen’s lead with three runs in the top of the ninth inning. Junior shortstop Brandon Barcomb (Cadyville, NY) went 2-for-4 while Brinkman was 2-for-5 in the second game.

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