The Red Hawk baseball team was finally brought back to Earth by the Rochester Yellowjackets, who won the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader to snap a 14-game Rensselaer winning streak.
Earlier in the week, the Red Hawks notched wins against the Utica Pioneers and the Vassar Brewers.
RPI travelled to Utica Thursday afternoon and belted out 20 hits en route to a 16-7 rout of the Pioneers. Travis Teeter led the way for the offense with a four-for-five performance, including two doubles, a home run, and three RBI. The Red Hawks used six different pitchers, none of whom threw more than three innings. Justin Pappas pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning to earn the win, which marked the 14th straight year that the Red Hawks have won at least 20 games.
Friday’s match at Vassar was of a very different character. Pat Hughes allowed just four hits and struck out six to secure a 2-1 win for Rensselaer. RPI got on the board in the top of the first when leadoff hitter Tim Egan reached on a two-base error by Brett Lampiasi—one of three in the game for him—and was singled home by Flynn Cochran.
Hughes and Vassar’s Chris Beattie were near-perfect after that until the home fifth. Ethan Schmid doubled to lead off the inning for the Brewers. He moved up on a passed ball and later scored on a suicide squeeze to tie the game. RPI struck back immediately, using a sacrifice bunt, a ground out, and an error to convert a leadoff single by Dan Quinn into the winning run.
The offense recovered in the first game against Rochester, as the Red Hawks pounded the Yellowjackets 17-2. Every RPI starter had at least one hit, and Rochester contributed six errors to aid the Red Hawks in scoring every inning. Seth Shuket had a big day, going two-for-two with four RBI, including a bases-loaded triple in the top of the seventh. Travis Teeter went the distance for RPI, allowing six hits and striking out nine; he was named UCAA Pitcher of the Week.
In game two, Rensselaer rolled out a 4-2 lead after three and a half innings, but the Yellowjackets touched up David Hubbs for four runs in the bottom of the fourth to go up 6-4. Brian Ricket came on to relieve him and allowed only one Rochester hit for the rest of the game, but only two Red Hawks reached base in the last three innings.
RPI is now 22-8 and 6-1 in the UCAA. They travel to William Patterson this afternoon and the North Country this weekend—sweeping Clarkson and St. Lawrence will clinch another conference championship for the Red Hawks.
