Union College Athletics

Liberty League Championship Game 5 - May 14, 2016
Clarkson 6, RPI 12

AMSTERDAM, N.Y-The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team erupted for nine runs over the final five innings en route to a 12-6 win against Clarkson University in a Liberty League Tournament elimination game Saturday afternoon at Shuttleworth Park.

The Engineers (16-26), who will be playing for their third conference title in four seasons, advance to face host Union College in the Liberty League Final at 11 a.m., Sunday, May 15. If necessary, a second game will be played 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first contest. The Golden Knights finish the season at 20-18.

The game was a back-and-forth contest that featured 24 hits and hits and five home runs, including a season-high three by Clarkson.

Matt Lawrence led the Engineers offense, going 1-for-2 with a home run, four runs scored and three RBIs. Sam Lawrence was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Jason Ramos drove in a pair of runs. Charles Parslow improved to 2-1 on the mound, pitching 3 1/3 innings of shutout relief and surrendering just four hits while striking out three and walking one.

Chris Miller powered the Golden Knights, finishing 3-for-4 with two doubles and RBI and a run scored. Greg Jasek was 4-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI and Anthony Padrazo went 3-for-5 with a home run, a run scored and an RBI. Ted Wilson took the loss for the Golden Knights, surrendering four runs (two earned) on three hits over 1 1/3 innings.

RPI pulled ahead 1-0 in the top of the first when Lawrence scored on a wild pitch, but the lead was short-lived.

Padrazo tied the game on the first pitch of the bottom half of the inning, blasting a solo home run to left field. Jasek scored on a throwing error later in the inning and Dom Pirro made it 4-1 with a two-run home run.

Sam Lawrence cut the Engineers deficit to one with a two-run single in the third, but again Clarkson was quick to respond, taking a 5-3 lead on a Jasek home run.

RPI tied the game again in the fifth when Ramos ripped a two-run double off the wall in right field before Miller gave Clarkson its second lead of the game in the bottom half of the inning, plating Will Coleman with a double down the right field line.

A Thomas Desmond RBI single in the top of the sixth tied the game at 6-6 and (6-6), and J.T. Sawyer gave the Engineers their first lead since the top of the first with a leadoff home run in the seventh. RPI added three more in the frame with back-to-back sacrifice flies by Matt Lawrence and Yahriel Jimenez and a throwing error to take a 10-6 lead.

Clarkson threatened in the bottom of the eighth, loading the bases with two outs, but Parslow got Coleman to ground out to short to end the inning.

Matt Lawrence put the game out of reach with a two-run home run in the top of the ninth.