Ben Shaw delivered the game-winning hit - a two-run single in the bottom of the ninth.

HOBOKEN, N.J. – Senior Ben Shaw (Wayne, Pa./Upper Merion) capped a four-run ninth inning with a two-run single to lead Stevens Institute of Technology to a 10-9 win over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Saturday at the Dobbelaar Baseball Field.

Stevens (5-5) rallied from a seven-run deficit in the final three innings.  Rensselaer (6-5) held an 8-1 lead after junior first baseman Dan Quinn and senior second baseman Flynn Cochran hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the seventh inning.

Stevens got three runs back in the bottom of the seventh.  Freshman third baseman Ryan Birkenstock (Smithville, N.J./Absegami) drove in junior second baseman Jeff Drobik (Little Falls, N.J./Passaic Valley) with a two-out single.  Freshman shortstop Adam Sandt (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) followed with a two-run home run to right – his third of the season – to pull the Ducks within 8-4.

Rensselaer added a run in the top of the eighth when Cochran drove in sophomore third baseman Joe Ihnatolya with a two-out double to right-center, giving the Red Hawks a 9-4 lead.

In the bottom of the eighth, the first three Stevens batters got hits with junior left fielder Mike Carrano (North Arlington, N.J./North Arlington) driving in Shaw with an infield single.  Junior catcher Kevin Suders (Mapleton Depot, Pa./Mount Union Area), who went 4-for-4, scored on a double play to cut the Rensselaer lead to 9-6.

Shaw, who pitched the final two innings for his first win (1-0), held Rensselaer scoreless in the top of the ninth.  In the bottom half of the inning, sophomore center fielder Tim Meehan (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on Birkenstock’s double off the right-field wall.  Sophomore Ryan Ool (0-1) relieved Chris Sullivan, but the Red Hawk left-hander hit Sandt to load the bases.  Senior right fielder Adam Yoda (Saddle Brook, N.J./Saddle Brook) doubled down the left-field line, scoring Meehan and Birkenstock.  Shaw then singled up the middle.  Sandt scored from third to tie the game and Yoda raced around from second, beating the throw of center fielder Mike Passante to give the Ducks the 10-9 victory.

Rensselaer jumped out to a 6-0 lead with a three-run second inning and single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth.  Senior catcher Brian Marine had an RBI double in the second.  Junior right fielder Nick Parenteau homered to right in the fourth.  Quinn belted the first of his two home runs – a solo shot to right-center – in the top of the fifth.  Junior left fielder Ryan Meron added a sacrifice fly in the sixth.  The Red Hawks hit four solo home runs on the afternoon.

Stevens pounded out 17 hits with seven different players having at least one hit.  Suders (4-for-4) doubled twice while Birkenstock and Sandt had three hits apiece.  Yoda and Shaw each had two hits and two runs batted in.

Cochran went 4-for-4 and drove in two runs to lead Rensselaer.

Stevens is back in action on Sunday, March 21, when it hosts Vassar College in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.