Engineers split with Chargers in double header

Rensselaer’s double header on Saturday started with a win against Union College’s Chargers. Home runs from Stephen Koval and Martin Marintchev scored every run for the Engineers, who managed seven hits to the Chargers’ nine. Union started off strong with a triple from Caleb Miller and a sacrifice fly from Sebastian Pike, putting the score at 2-0 by the end of the first inning. In the second inning, Matt Chotiner singled to left field and Kameron Levesque was walked by Union pitcher Chris Suter, who put two players on base. Koval's run over the left field fence sent all three players home to put the Engineers ahead 3-2. In the top of the third, Union’s Liam McIlroy doubled to deep center field, got to third on a single from Kobe Mentzer, and went home off another sacrifice fly from Pike to tie the game. In the bottom of the fifth, a single from Aidan Hicks and a home run from Marintchev brought the score to 5-3. The Engineers’ win was a group effort, with four pitchers coming to the mound. Starter Julian Fong-McAdams pitched 4.2 innings, walking four and striking out five before Jack Ellis came in as relief, getting the final out of the inning and leaving three players on base. Cameron Heuer pitched the rest of the game, save for the last batter in the ninth when Cooper Hay came in with Union’s Thomas Parisi as the tying run on second base. Batter Noah DiCaprio grounded out to Chotiner at shortstop to end the game with a 5-3 win going to RPI.

The second game of the day started slow at the plate for both teams, with the game remaining scoreless for the first four innings. A single from Union’s Mentzer in the top of the first and a bunt from Union’s Ryan Cowles were the only two hits for either team until the top of the fifth. Cowles reached on an error from Koval at third, then McIlroy and Miller both singled to left field. Pike singled to left field and sent Cowles home for the game’s first run, putting Union up 1-0. RPI could not respond in the bottom of the fifth, though Koval singled to right-center for the Engineers’ first hit of the game. RPI was able to tie it up in the seventh inning when Anthony Brigante hit a solo home run to right field. In the eighth inning, Andrew Keaveney walked and Parisi was hit by a pitch, putting Keaveney’s pinch runner Nico Lambros in scoring position. Cowles then singled to right field and Lambros went home, bringing the Chargers back ahead 2-1 and securing the win for Union.

With the doubleheader, RPI’s conference record is 6-2. After another win on Sunday, also against Union, they improved to 7-2, putting them in second place in the East after the Skindmore Thoroughbreds, and tied for third place overall with the Rochester Yellowjackets. RPI will play the Middlebury Panthers in their next game on April 10.