After an exciting weekend, the Rensselaer Baseball (9-1) team jumped up eleven spots in the American baseball Coaches Association polls to tie with New Jersey at number 13. The Red Hawks lost a heartbreaker to William Patterson on Saturday; on Sunday, though, they bounced back and won a pitcher’s duel against Montclair.
On Saturday at William Patterson the team was dealt their first loss of the season. The Red Hawks scored four in the top of the third to put them up 4-1 at the time behind a two-run single by junior Eric Redding and a two-run error by the William Patterson defense. The home team then scored two in the third inning, four in the fourth and two more in the sixth to go ahead 9-4.
In the top of the seventh the Rensselaer team hung a five frame on the board with some help, again, from the home team defense in the form of errors. After seven innings the score was tied at nine apiece but the perfect season was ended when the Red Hawks couldn’t match a run posted by William Patterson in the eighth inning. The final score was 10-9 and the Red Hawks put up a valiant—yet losing—effort.
Sunday’s game against Montclair, a team that was ranked number three in the nation at the time, was a day of redemption and a day to start a new winning streak. It was the quintessential pitchers’ duel ending in a 1-0 score with both pitchers going the distance. No relief pitchers were needed in this one, as the starters both pitched all nine innings.
For the Red Hawks, junior Joe Zongol was the star as he pitched the shut-out allowing only one hit, striking out eight and rendering only three walks. His performance earned him Liberty League Pitcher of the Week, an accolade that was held by his classmate Tim Klien just the week before.
The game’s lone run was scored by senior Captain Jason Pollard who reached base in the sixth inning by way of a walk and was moved to third by a sacrifice bunt and error. He was then plated by a sacrifice fly off the bat of Redding after an intentional walk to senior Ken Carroll.
The win moved Zongol’s record to 2-0 on the season, as he looks to better his record of 6-2 from a year ago. Although they suffered their first loss, the weekend ended positively as the team’s members proved themselves behind a great pitching performance against a highly ranked opponent, gaining the Red Hawks some more national attention. The Red Hawks, who are now ranked second in the New York regional poll, will look to better their 9-1 record as they open up their home schedule with a double header against St. Lawrence this Friday and Saturday at 1 pm and noon respectively. Both games are at Robison Field on the corner of 17th and Eagle Streets.
