Knights Split on Day Two with Engineers

Freshman Dan Lenney had two hits in the opener of Sunday's doubleheader against RPI. - Photo by Gary Mikel

Potsdam, NY - A two run-single from David Kinney (Mexico, NY) broke open a tight game in the fourth inning as the Clarkson University Baseball team earned a game one victory over Rensselaer, 8-2, before falling in the nightcap, 6-3, in Liberty League action Sunday afternoon at Jack Phillips Stadium.

The Golden Knights moved to 15-15 overall and 11-9 in the Liberty League, while Rensselaer improved to 20-12 overall and 13-5 in conference games.

In the opener, Rensselaer scored the game's first run on an error that could have ended the inning. However. Clarkson responded with five unearned runs of its own in the top of the fourth. Three errors allowed, including one with two outs and the bases loaded, allowed the Knights to bat around. Pete Lasecki (Stratford, CT) singled home a run, and Sam Grainger (Bedford, MA) pushed home another on a groundball that was kicked away. The same happened on a grounder from Dan Lenney (Clifton Park, NY) and then Kinney drove home a pair with a liner to center field.

RPI picked up a run to narrow the gap to 5-2 in the fifth when Cody Vincent scored on a groundball by Jonny Rio, but the Knights quickly tacked on three more runs in the top of the sixth. Lenney dropped a single into left field to score a run and Justin McInerney (Grand Island, NY) had a two-run single to center for the final count.

Kinney, Lenney and Lasecki each had two hits and McInerney went 3-for-4. Bryan Chudy (Goshen, NY) went five innings and scattered six hits while walking a pair to earn his fifth victory of the season. Dan Duval took his second loss of the year for RPI, giving up seven runs in just over five innings of work, but only two of the runs were earned.

In the second game, RPI came out swinging in the bottom of the first, scoring four times. Kyle LaVigne raced home from second base on a sacrifice bunt from Jonny Rio and Tanner Boucher scored Billy Nikolski on a single to center. Art Levenson followed with a two-run shot to give RPI a 4-0 lead with just one out in the inning. The Engineers tacked on two more on a two-run shot from designated hitter Chuck Erickson, but the Clarkson pitching would settle in over the final five innings and now allow another run.

The Knights slowly chipped away to get back into the contest, but their offense wasn't enough for a full comeback. Jerry Coleman (Potsdam, NY) doubled home Scott Morrissey (Troy, NY) in the fifth and Justin McInerney reached on an error in the sixth, allowing Garrett Russell (Lake George, NY0 to score. In the top of the ninth, Clarkson came one run closer when pinch-runner Adam Szklany (Windham, ME) scored on a wild pitch, but a lineout ended the game with Kinney in the on-deck circle representing what would have been the tying run.

Jarrod Mattingly (Philadelphia, NY) pitched the final six innings for Clarkson, allowing five hits and no walks for his best performance of the season. Mike Campisi earned his third win of the year for RPI, finishing two outs shy of a complete game. He struck out seven and allowed five hits over eight-plus innings.

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