Rensselaer scored with two outs in the eighth inning to break a 7-7 tie and defeated the Clarkson University Baseball team, 8-7, to stay alive in the Liberty League Tournament at Robison Field.
RPI, the top seed and 15th-ranked team in the nation, improves to 34-10 but must defeat the Golden Knights a second time on Sunday to claim the tournament title and an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. Clarkson, the third seed, falls to 20-19.
Trailing 7-3 going into the bottom of the seventh inning, RPI staged a four-run rally to even the score. Jim Devine pulled RPI to within 7-5 with a two-run single to right centerfield and Nic Marchese tied it with a two-run home run to right field two batters later.
Rensselaer grabbed the lead in the next inning after Jebb walked and stole second before moving to third on a wild pitch. Reardon, the Liberty League Player of the Year, drove him in with his hit to left with two outs. Reliever Mike Cieszko struck out the side in the ninth inning to force the deciding seventh game of the four-team, double-elimination tournament.
Clarkson jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning on four hits and an error. After leadoff hitter, senior Matt Giordano (Liverpool, NY) reached on an miscue, the next five batters got hits. Among them were RBI singles by senior Austin Pitkin (Dexter, NY) and junor Brady Torbitt (Fulton, NY) and a two-run double by freshman Jerry Coleman (Potsdam, NY).
RPI came back in its half of the first with three runs but the Red Hawks left the bases loaded. Two-out singles by Devine, which scored one run, and, Marchese, which plated two, accounted for the runs before Clarkson starter, senior Greg Chojecki (West Seneca, NY) got out of the jam with a strikeout.
The Golden Knights added three runs in their next two at bats to build a 7-3 advantage. After scoring an unearned run in the second inning, Coleman and senior Cale Giroux (Cortland, NY) opened the third inning with back-to-back doubles for a 6-3 lead. Freshman David Kinney (Mexico, NY) followed with an RBI single to give the visitors the four-run bulge.
Devine was 2 for 3 with two runs and three runs batted in and Marchese was 2 for 4 with a run and four RBI for the Red Hawks. Torbitt (2 for 5, 1 run, 1 RBI) and Coleman (2 for 5, 1 run, 2 RBI) had two hits apiece for Clarkson. Sophomore reliever David Goerold (Clifton Park, NY) took the loss.
Clarkson University vs Rensselaer (May 10, 2009)
Box Score
2009 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Clarkson University at #15 Rensselaer
May 10, 2009 at Troy, N.Y. (Robison Field)
Clarkson University 7 (20-19)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Giordano cf.............. 4 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 1
Curry 2b................. 5 1 1 0 0 2 3 3 1
Pitkin dh................ 4 1 1 1 1 3 0 0 0
Torbitt rf............... 5 1 2 1 0 1 2 0 3
Coleman c................ 5 1 2 2 0 2 5 0 1
Giroux lf................ 4 1 1 1 0 1 3 0 0
Holiday 1b............... 4 0 0 0 0 1 8 0 0
Kinney 3b................ 4 0 1 1 0 2 1 2 1
Magovney ss.............. 2 0 0 0 2 1 2 2 0
Chojecki p............... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Goerold p............... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 37 7 9 6 4 13 24 8 7
Rensselaer 8 (34-10)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Sean Wilkes cf........... 4 1 0 0 1 0 5 0 2
Josh Brooks dh........... 3 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0
Patrick Reardon c........ 4 1 1 1 1 0 9 3 0
Camden Mamigonian lf..... 4 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 1
Jim Devine 3b............ 3 2 2 3 1 0 0 0 1
Andrew Krushelnyski 1b... 4 0 1 0 0 0 10 0 0
Nic Marchese rf.......... 4 1 2 4 0 0 0 0 1
Scott Robinson 2b........ 2 0 0 0 1 1 3 2 0
Tom Jebb ss.............. 3 1 1 0 1 1 0 7 3
Andrew Novick p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Andrew Biederman p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mike Cieszko p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 31 8 8 8 7 4 27 13 8
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
Clarkson University. 412 000 000 - 7 9 0
Rensselaer.......... 300 000 41X - 8 8 3
-------------------------------------------
E - P. Reardon; J. Devine 2. DP - CU 1; RPI 1. LOB - CU 7; RPI 8. 2B -
Giordano(10); Coleman 2(5); Giroux(5); C. Mamigonia(17). HR - N.
Marchese(9). HBP - C. Mamigonia; S. Robinson. SB - Giordano 2(26); T.
Jebb(7).
Clarkson University IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Chojecki............ 6.2 7 7 7 6 3 26 34
Goerold............. 1.1 1 1 1 1 1 5 6
Rensselaer IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Andrew Novick....... 2.0 6 7 5 1 3 14 15
Andrew Biederman.... 3.2 3 0 0 2 5 13 15
Mike Cieszko........ 3.1 0 0 0 1 5 10 11
Win - M. Cieszko (2-0). Loss - Goerold (4-3). Save - None.
WP - Chojecki 3; Goerold. HBP - by Chojecki (C. Mamigonia); by Chojecki (S.
Robinson). BK - A. Biederman 2.
Umpires -
Start: 11:25am Time: 3:05 Attendance: 122
Game: BS51009A
Play-by-Play
2009 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Clarkson University at #15 Rensselaer - Play-by-Play
May 10, 2009 at Troy, N.Y. (Robison Field)
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
Clarkson University. 412 000 000 - 7 9 0
Rensselaer.......... 300 000 41X - 8 8 3
-------------------------------------------
Clarkson University starters: 8/cf Giordano; 2/2b Curry; 35/dh Pitkin; 18/rf
Torbitt; 21/c Coleman; 32/lf Giroux; 16/1b Holiday; 22/3b Kinney; 13/ss
Magovney; 17/p Chojecki;
Rensselaer starters: 2/cf S. Wilkes; 18/dh J. Brooks; 5/c P. Reardon; 33/lf C.
Mamigonia; 24/3b J. Devine; 25/1b A. Krushelny; 10/rf N. Marchese; 6/2b S.
Robinson; 12/ss T. Jebb; 28/p A. Novick;
Clarkson University 1st - Giordano reached on an error by 3b. Curry
singled to right field; Giordano advanced to third. Pitkin singled to left
field, RBI; Curry advanced to second; Giordano scored, unearned. Torbitt
singled to left field, RBI; Pitkin advanced to second; Curry scored. Coleman
doubled to left field, 2 RBI; Torbitt scored; Pitkin scored. Giroux grounded
out to ss. Holiday struck out swinging. Kinney struck out swinging. 4 runs,
4 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Rensselaer 1st - S. Wilkes walked. J. Brooks walked; S. Wilkes advanced
to second. P. Reardon grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b; J. Brooks out
on the play; S. Wilkes advanced to third. C. Mamigonia hit by pitch. J. Devine
singled to center field, RBI; C. Mamigonia advanced to second; S. Wilkes
scored. A. Krushelny singled; J. Devine advanced to second; C. Mamigonia
advanced to third. N. Marchese singled to left center, 2 RBI; A. Krushelny
advanced to third; J. Devine scored; C. Mamigonia scored. S. Robinson hit by
pitch; N. Marchese advanced to second. T. Jebb struck out swinging. 3 runs,
3 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Clarkson University 2nd - Magovney walked. Giordano reached on a
fielder's choice; Magovney out at second ss to 2b. Giordano stole second. Curry
reached on an error by 3b, advanced to second on the throw; Giordano scored,
unearned. Pitkin struck out swinging, reached first on an error by c. Torbitt
grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; Pitkin out on the play. 1 run, 0
hits, 2 errors, 1 LOB.
Rensselaer 2nd - S. Wilkes popped up to c. J. Brooks struck out
swinging. P. Reardon popped up to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Clarkson University 3rd - Coleman doubled to left center. Giroux doubled
to right center, RBI; Coleman scored. A. Biederman to p for A. Novick. Holiday
flied out to cf. Kinney singled to left field, out at second lf to 2b, RBI;
Giroux scored. Magovney walked. Magovney advanced to second on a balk. Giordano
grounded out to ss. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Rensselaer 3rd - C. Mamigonia grounded out to ss. J. Devine walked. A.
Krushelny grounded out to p; J. Devine advanced to second. N. Marchese flied
out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Clarkson University 4th - Curry grounded out to ss. Pitkin struck out
swinging, out at first c to 1b. Torbitt singled to right field. Torbitt
advanced to second on a balk. Coleman struck out swinging, out at first c to
1b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Rensselaer 4th - S. Robinson flied out to lf. T. Jebb flied out to rf.
S. Wilkes popped up to 1b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Clarkson University 5th - Giroux grounded out to 2b. Holiday flied out
to cf. Kinney struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Rensselaer 5th - J. Brooks walked. J. Brooks advanced to second on a
wild pitch. P. Reardon flied out to lf. J. Brooks advanced to third on a wild
pitch. C. Mamigonia struck out looking. J. Devine grounded out to 2b. 0
runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Clarkson University 6th - Magovney struck out looking. Giordano doubled
to left center. Curry struck out swinging. Giordano stole third. Pitkin walked.
M. Cieszko to p for A. Biederman. Torbitt grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit,
0 errors, 2 LOB.
Rensselaer 6th - A. Krushelny lined out to 3b. N. Marchese grounded out
to 2b. S. Robinson walked. T. Jebb singled to left field; S. Robinson advanced
to second. S. Wilkes fouled out to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Clarkson University 7th - Coleman flied out to cf. Giroux struck out
looking. Holiday flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Rensselaer 7th - J. Brooks grounded out to 3b. P. Reardon walked. C.
Mamigonia doubled to left center; P. Reardon advanced to third. J. Devine
singled to right center, 2 RBI; C. Mamigonia scored; P. Reardon scored. J.
Devine advanced to second on a wild pitch. A. Krushelny flied out to lf. N.
Marchese homered to right center, 2 RBI; J. Devine scored. Goerold to p for
Chojecki. S. Robinson struck out swinging. 4 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Clarkson University 8th - Kinney grounded out to ss. Magovney flied out
to cf. Giordano walked. Curry struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors,
1 LOB.
Rensselaer 8th - T. Jebb walked. S. Wilkes popped up to 2b. T. Jebb
stole second. T. Jebb advanced to third on a wild pitch. J. Brooks grounded out
to 3b. P. Reardon singled to left field, RBI; T. Jebb scored. C. Mamigonia
popped up to 2b. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Clarkson University 9th - Pitkin struck out looking. Torbitt struck out
looking. Coleman struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. 0 runs, 0 hits,
0 errors, 0 LOB.
