Rochester, NY - A day after a disappointing sweep, the Clarkson University Baseball team got the response it needed from its starting pitchers as seniors Austin Pitkin (Dexter, NY) and Greg Chojecki (West Seneca, NY) posted back-to-back three-hit shutouts against 17th-ranked University of Rochester, 2-0 and 2-0, on Sunday afternoon.

The Golden Knights improved to 13-15 overall and 7-6 in the Liberty League, ending a four-game losing streak, while Rochester dropped to 24-10 and 13-7. The shutouts were the first for the Knights since the season-opening doubleheader against Newberry College in 2008.

Pitkin has been rounding into form as of late for Clarkson, but Sunday was easily his best outing of the season as he pitched seven strong innings, allowing only three hits and no walks while striking out four. From the second inning to the seventh, Pitkin retired 15 straight batters. Rochester threatened in the second and seventh innings, but Pitkin was agle to get out of both jams without any damage.

Clarkson scored its runs in the first and sixth innings. In the first inning, Matty Curry (Richland, NY) hit a one-out single to start the rally and later came around to score on an RBI single from Brady Torbitt (Fulton, NY). In the sixth inning, freshman Jerry Coleman (Potsdam, NY) drove in Matt Holiday (Syracuse, NY) with a two-out single up the middle, giving the Knights a vital insurance run. Coleman went 2-for-3 in the game, while junior Steve Magovney (Watertown, NY) was 2-for-2.

In game two, Chojecki was just as dominating as Pitkin. He allowed a walk to lead off the game, but then retired 12 straight. Rochester had rallies in both the fifth and sixth innings, but both were squashed and the Chojecki struck out the side in the ninth to complete his gem. He finished the game with seven strikeouts and just one walk to go along with three hits over nine innings.

Clarkson scored runs in the third and sixth innings to help Chojecki earn the victory. Curry drove in senior Cale Giroux (Cortland, NY), who had led off the inning and reached on an error. In the sixth inning, Torbitt led off the frame with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Coleman. Brett Peplowski (Albany, NY) pulled the ball to the right side, grounding out to second, but it was enough to get Torbitt home for another crucial run.

Curry was the only hitter in game two to record a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4.