RPI Takes Two From Knights, 5-1 and 5-4

Senior rightfielder Garrett Russell hit a game-tying 3-run homer in the second contest Saturday against Rensselaer. - Photo by Gary Mikel

A gem of a pitching performance from Mike Cieszko in game one and a late rally in game two propelled Rensselaer to a doubleheader sweep of the Clarkson University Baseball team, 5-1 and 5-4, Saturday afternoon at Jack Phillips Stadium.

The Golden Knights saw their record evened at 14-14 overall while falling to 10-8 in the Liberty League. Rensselaer improved to 19-11 overall while inching closer to a playoff berth at 12-4 in conference games. The two teams will meet again on Sunday, starting at 12:00 noon.

Cieszko was dominant from the start, allowing only a single in the fourth inning and a walk in the seventh. He struck out 10 over a seven-inning complete-game effort, including six of the first nine men he faced. During a run of five straight strikeouts, he whiffed the side on only nine pitches during the second inning.

Clarkson starter David Goerold (Clifton Park, NY) allowed seven hits over seven innings, but RPI was able to bunch many together for its runs. Jonny Rio hit a two-out solo home run in the first, which was all that the Engineers would end up needing in the opener. Rio plated another un in the third, and two more came round in fifth on a bases loaded single from Tanner Boucher. Kyle LaVigne then tripled in the final RPI run in the sixth inning.

In the second game, Clarkson found its swing with three hits in the bottom of the first. Dan Lenney (Clifton Park, NY) and David Kinney (Mexico, NY) delivered back-to-back singles and were followed by a David Wixted (Ballston Lake, NY) double, giving Clarkson a 1-0 advantage. RPI plated two in the third, one in the fifth, and another in the seventh to take a 4-1 lead, but that advantage was erased on a two-out, three-run homer from Garrett Russell (Lake George, NY). The tie was short-lived, however, as RPI took advantage of some untimely miscues from the Golden Knights' defense as a Markus Delello sacrifice fly drove in what proved to be the winning run.

Print Friendly Version