For the first time since the creation of the UCAA in 1996, the Red Hawks will not be winning the UCAA regular season title. Clarkson swept RPI last weekend for the first time since 1986; it was also the first time RPI was swept in a UCAA doubleheader. The Golden Knights beat the Red Hawks 3-2 and 2-1 Saturday, while RPI came back to sweep St. Lawrence Sunday 4-2 and 7-3.
In the first game against Clarkson, Dan Quinn fell over the first base fence going after a foul ball in the first inning. He injured his shoulder on the play and had to leave the game. He stayed out of the lineup the rest of the weekend. According to Head Coach Karl Steffen, Quinn is questionable for Friday’s doubleheader against Rochester.
The Golden Knights got on the board first when freshman Luke Calzone walked Giovan Scialdone with the bases loaded in the first inning.
RPI picked up two runs by J. Olson and Joe Ihnatoyla in the top of the fourth, but Scialdone quickly tied up the game in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run.
J.J. Lorence got a walk-off home run off of Brian Rickert to win the game for Clarkson. Rickert, who came in to pitch for Calzone in the sixth inning, took the loss for RPI. Clarkson pitcher Dan Hojnacki pitched a complete game for the win.
Flynn Cochran scored first for RPI in the second game, with a solo home run in the second inning.
Junior Chris Sullivan pitched six innings of shutout baseball, and was relieved by Rickert in the seventh inning after allowing the tying run to reach base on a single. The Clarkson batters hit three more singles in the inning to win the game.
The Red Hawks bounced back against the Saints, winning 4-2 and 7-3. The first game was full of defense, with both teams remaining scoreless until the sixth inning. Ihnatoyla and Jon Blumhagen scored in the sixth to tie the game at one.
Marc Shumsker, Nick Parenteau, and Mike Passante scored in the top of the seventh to put RPI up 4-1. Jeff DiGeronimo scored in the bottom of the seventh, but pitcher Brian Brzek struck out Jon Klix to end the game. Brzek pitched a complete game for the win; his record is 5-1 this season.
Ihnatoyla hit a two-run home run to start the scoring early in the second game. RPI held their lead the entire game. Brian Marine hit a two-RBI single in the fourth inning and notched his fourth homer of the season in the seventh, and Cochran hit a two-run home run in the eighth to increase RPI’s lead to four.
Charles Yarnold got the win for RPI, allowing only five hits and three earned runs. Max Miller pitched five innings of relief, allowing only three hits.
RPI picked up their 20th win against St. Lawrence. The team has reached the 20-win plateau each of the last 15 seasons. The Red Hawks’ record for this season is 21-13 overall, and 7-3 in UCAA play.
Ihnatoyla was named Co-Performer of the Week by the UCAA for his strong offensive performance this week. In the past seven games, Ihnatoyla has batted .414, and leads the team with a .374 batting average.
RPI clinched a playoff spot with the sweep of St. Lawrence, but it is not yet known what seed they will be or where the tournament will be taking place. The Red Hawks have to play a doubleheader against Rochester Friday to make up for the games that were rained out earlier this month. If RPI sweeps or the teams split, the Red Hawks move into second and leave Clarkson in the top spot. A Rochester sweep will keep RPI in third place and Rochester will move into the top spot over Clarkson.
The baseball team is playing at RIT Thursday at 4 pm and at Rochester Friday at 1 pm. The UCAA Tournament will be played in either Potsdam or Rochester May 7-9. RPI will host Hartwick in a doubleheader Monday, May 10, to complete their regular season.
