Mondo Pitches Rensselaer to Victory
#3 Rensselaer - 3, #5 Western New England - 1
Farmingdale, N.Y. - Junior pitcher Andrew Mondo
surrendered just one run on three hits with nine strikeouts in 5.1
innings, to lead the 15th-ranked baseball team to a 3-1 victory
over Western New England College, in NCAA New York Regional action
this afternoon at the Farmingdale Baseball Complex. With the win
the Red Hawks tie the school record for wins as they improve to
36-11. The Golden Bears move to 30-16.
Mondo (Clifton Park, N.Y.) improves to 11-2 on the season, breaking
the school mark for pitching wins in a season.
Golden Bears starter Evan Michaud (Windsor Locks, Conn.) took a
one-hitter into the top of the fifth inning, when Rensselaer found
its way on the scoreboard. With one out in the inning, walks to
Andrew Krushelnyski (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) and Tom Jebb
(Ticonderoga, N.Y.) filled first and second base. Sean Wilkes
(Troy, N.Y.) then beat out an infield single to short, with the
throw sailing over the first baseman and allowing a run to score.
Josh Brooks (Lake Katrine, N.Y.) then sent a sacrifice fly to
center, scoring Jebb from third for the second run.
Western New England shortstop Justin Walz (Groton, Conn.) tripled
with one away in the bottom of the inning and came around to score
on a wild pitch, to pull within one at 2-1.
The Red Hawks got the run back, however, in the top of the sixth. A
single and a double by Jim Devine (Castleton, N.Y.) and Scott
Robinson (Schenectady, N.Y.) put runners on second and third with
one out. After a hit by pitch and a strikeout, Jebb was drilled in
the shoulder on a 3-1 pitch to drive in RPI's third run.
Mondo struck out Chris Newell (Wallingford, Conn.) to open the
bottom of the sixth, but the next batter, Joe Griglun (Southington,
Conn.), struck the RPI hurler in the throwing arm. Mondo then
walked the next batter on four pitches, before giving way to Andrew
Novick (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.).
Novick issued a walk to Tony Trubia (Tolland, Conn.) to load to
bases, before Matt Fleishman (East Northport, N.Y.) hit a ball to
rightcenter that Wilkes made a sliding catch on in the gap. Trubia
overran the runner on second and was called out for the double
play.
Freshman Dan Duval (Middleton, Mass.) came on for RPI and pitched
1.1 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just one hit. Sophomore
Mike Cieszko (Stevenson Ranch, Calif.) struck out two of the three
batters he faced in the ninth to earn his fifth save on the year
and second in as many games.
The Red Hawks return to action tomorrow afternoon at Noon, against
the winner of the Clarkson/WNEC game.
(Story by Perry Laskaris, Sports Information Asst at RPI)
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