Troy, NY - Pitchers Joe Zongol and Andy Opperman combined to strike out 25
batters in leading Rensselaer in a Liberty League doubleheader sweep of the Clarkson University Baseball team, 9-4 and 5-1, Tuesday afternoon at Robison Field.  

Clarkson fell to 4-17 overall and 4-6 in the Liberty League while Rensselaer moved to 19-7 overall and 8-4 in the Liberty League. The Golden Knights return to action on Thursday with a non-league game against Ithaca at Duffy Fairgrounds in Watertown, NY.

Following a first inning in which he allowed three runs on five hits, including a two-run home run by senior TJ Brinkman (Troy, NY), RPI starter Joe Zongol settled down to give up just one more run and five hits through the final six innings.  He struck out at least one batter in every inning, including the side in the third, and finished with 14 strikeouts through seven innings.

Offensively Rensselaer overcame two separate three-run deficits by scoring once in the third, fourth, and fifth innings, twice in the sixth and four times in the seventh. On four separate occasions, the Red Hawks successfully executed sacrifice bunts which were immediately followed by run-scoring plays (three hits, one ground out).

Clarkson's Matt Curry (Richland, NY) and Ralph Rizzo (Bohemia, NY) each delivered two hits in the loss for the Knights.  

In the second game, Opperman allowed just three hits and struck out at least one batter in six innings, including five innings with two strikeouts while walking only three. Clarkson sophomore Greg Chojecki (West Seneca, NY) pitched six innings, allowing eight hits and five earned runs with two strikeouts and a walk.  Senior Gerald Stothers (Fort Myers, FL) had two hits, including a run-scoring single in the seventh, for Clarkson.