The RPI baseball team returned from their trip to Florida with six wins and four losses. The Red Hawks, who started the season ranked 30th in the nation, earned wins over Clarke and Arcadia, and swept Salve Regina and Thomas More in doubleheaders.
The Red Hawks started off with a 13-4 win over the Clarke Crusaders. In the third inning, Mike Passante scored the first run of the season for RPI off a Dan Quinn single. Quinn finished the game with three hits, which included a home run and four RBI. Left fielder Ryan Meron went 4-for-5, scored three runs, and earned an RBI.
Rensselaer suffered its first loss against the Wartburg Knights. The Red Hawks started the game strong, with Quinn hitting a grand slam. With the score tied at nine, the game went into extra innings, and the Red Hawks fell 11-9 in the 10th frame when the Knights, ranked 20th in the country, grabbed two unearned runs for win.
The team split a doubleheader against Arcadia, losing the the first game 11-3, but coming back to win the second game 8-4. Chris Sullivan started the second game on the mound for RPI to earn the win, and Rickert pitched two innings to get the save.
RPI next faced the Salve Regina Seahawks, again in a doubleheader. The Red Hawks won 13-4 and 11-1. Charles Yarnold started the first game for RPI, striking out eight batters in seven innings. Brian Marine went 3-for-4 and earned five RBI in the win. Freshman Luke Calzone started the second game, striking out nine in seven innings. Meron had a strong game at the plate, going 3-for-5 and earning four RBI.
RPI continued to roll as they won two games against the 14th-ranked Thomas More Saints 9-4 and 12-2. Brian Brzek allowed only eight hits in eight innings in his second start of the season. Flynn Cochran led the offense, going 4-for-5 and scoring two runs in the win. Sullivan also earned his second win of the season, holding the Saints to just two runs in seven innings during the second game.
The baseball team will be in New Jersey to take on Stevens Tech Saturday and William Patterson Tuesday. Their first home game will be next Wednesday against Oneonta State.
