Troy, NY – After a six-game stretch of quiet offense, the Clarkson University Baseball team broke out against Rensselaer, scoring 11 times in the seven-inning game against the Engineers. Unfortunately, the RPI offense was also up to task and held on for a sweep of the Golden Knights, taking the first game 13-11 and game-two 4-3 Saturday afternoon at Robison Field.

The Golden Knights fell to 7-8 overall and 1-5 in the Liberty League, while Rensselaer moved to 8-8 overall and 5-1 in conference games. The two teams will play in another doubleheader on Sunday, with the time moved up to 10:30 am to assure good playing conditions.

The Knights jumped on the Engineers right away in the opener, striking for four runs in the top of the first inning as the team batted around. Jerry Coleman (Potsdam, NY) doubled in a pair and then came around on a single from Pete Lasecki (Stratford, CT). Lasecki was then sent home on a single from Dan Padrazo (Setaucket, NY). However, the large advantage was short-lived as the Engineers scored once in the bottom half of the inning and then five more times in the bottom of the second. Another run in the third gave RPI a 7-4 advantage.

Clarkson tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning as Lasecki plated two on a double, but the Engineers broke the game open with five runs in the bottom half of the fourth for a 12-6 edge. A run-scoring single from David Kinney (Mexico, NY) in the fifth was offset by another RPI run in the bottom half of the fifth. However, a glimpse of hope for the Knights came in the top of the seventh as they loaded the bases with none out. David Wixted (Ballston Lake, NY) drove in three with a double and then came home on a Lasecki sacrifice fly, but the rally was squashed there with Clarkson finishing the frame still trailing by two runs.

Clarkson pounded out 15 hits in the opener, led by freshman Matt Jenack (Massena, NY), who went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Five other players had two hits in four at bats, with Pete Lasecki driving in four and David Wixted plating three.

For as offense-ridden as the first game was, the strong swinging didn’t continue into the second contest. Rensselaer’s Levi Washburn and Clarkson’s Bryan Chudy (Goshen, NY) both proved to be strong starters that were difficult to crack. Washburn lost his shutout first when the Knights struck in the top of the third inning. Scott Morrissey (Troy, NY) hit a one-out single and then moved to third on a single from John Coleman (Potsdam, NY). A sacrifice fly to right field by Peter-Jon Clarke (Tully, NY) sent Morrissey scampering home to give Clarkson a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the fifth, the Knights earned two more runs when Padrazo led off the inning with a single. Following a sacrifice bunt, Morrissey then delivered a key single to score Padrazo. One hitter later, Peter-Jon Clarke singled and sent the fleet-footed Morrissey home from second base to give the Knights a 3-0 edge.

In the bottom half of the sixth, RPI scored four runs to take the lead. With runners on first and second and one out, a double provided the Engineers with their first run, and an error followed to allow two more to come in, tying the game up 3-3. An RBI single from Drew Korte proved to be the game-winner. Clarkson challenged the Engineers in the ninth inning, as Dan Padrazo led off the frame with a single and moved up on a sacrifice bunt from Jenack. However, two shots from Morrissey and John Coleman were gloved to get RPI out of the jam and end the game.

Morrissey had three hits in four trips to the plate while Padrazo and Clarke each had two hits, with Clarke delivering a pair of RBIs. Bryan Chudy pitched well for Clarkson, going seven innings and scattering seven hits with a pair of walks while inducing 13 groundouts.