HOBOKEN, N.J. (April 25, 2009) – Sophomore pitcher Ken Meerendonk went 3-for-6 at the plate, drove in a pair of runs and scored three times to help lift the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team to its 14th and 15th wins of the season as the Ducks upended conference opponent Utica College in a twin bill on Saturday afternoon by the scores of 7-5 and 7-2, respectively. Meerendonk picked up his fifth win of the season having gone the distance in Game 2 pitching all seven innings, as he allowed two earned runs on five hits. Junior lefty Joe Finora got the nod for Game 1 and threw for 6.1 innings, struck out six batters and gave up seven hits during his outing. The Ducks are now 15-17 overall and 5-7 in Empire 8 play, while the Pioneers fall to 5-20 and 2-10 on the year.

Game 1 – SIT-7, Utica-5
Stevens struck early as the Ducks posted two runs in the bottom half of the first. Freshman second baseman Tom Phillips started the game with a single to left field. The ensuing batter, junior left fielder Anthony Andrews laid down a nice sacrifice bunt to advance Phillips to second. He then took third on a wild pitch. Sophomore third baseman Ken Meerendonk drove in Phillips off a groundout to short to clear the base pads. Junior right fielder Russ Grimes blasted his sixth homer of the season, a solo shot to right field.

The Ducks added three more runs in the bottom of the third as sophomore catcher Denis Ackermann came through with a bases loaded single to drive in junior centerfielder Mark Rasulo for the first run of the inning. With the bases still juiced and just one out, Andrews came through with a single through the middle of the infield for the Ducks' fourth run of the game. Junior shortstop Eddie Daniele then plated Grimes after he was struck by a pitch with the bases loaded. Stevens stranded three runners as the inning ended on an infield pop out.

Utica recorded a pair of runs in the top of the fourth to cut the deficit to three when sophomore infielder Andrew Diaz (Brooklyn, N.Y.) roped a triple to drive in a pair of runners. However, the Ducks added a run in the bottom half of the frame when freshman utility player T.J. Alcorn lifted a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield to plate the tagging Meerendonk.

With men on second and third for the Pioneers, sophomore infielder Chris Hine (Brick, N.J.) drove in sophomore outfielder Justin Engelhardt (Pottstown, Pa.) to bring the game to a 6-3 advantage in favor of Stevens. The Ducks matched the effort in the bottom of the frame when Phillips reached base on a double, followed up by a Meerendonk two-bagger to drive in Phillips for the seventh run of the game.

Following a scoreless sixth, the Pioneers made things interesting having posted a pair of runs in their final at-bats. After a groundout to the pitcher, Engelhardt reached first on a single up the middle. Sophomore infielder Charlie Cumella (Ridgefield, N.J.) drew a walk as sophomore pitcher Kyle Hanas was called upon to close out the seventh. The first batter he faced was sent down on strikes for the second out of the inning. Hine then singled to right center to plate Engelhardt and cut the deficit to three runs. With the tying run at the plate and runners on second and third, senior infielder Kelvin Cabrera (Hoboken, N.J.) kept the inning alive after he reached on an error by the shortstop. However, the inning ended on an infield fly out as the Ducks were able to secure the 7-5 victory with Hanas picking up his third save of the season.

Meerendonk finished the game 3-for-4 with a pair of runs batted in and two runs scored. Grimes batted 3-for-4 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored. Ackermann went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Phillips finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

For Utica, Hine and Diaz each tallied two RBI on the day, both having gone 1-for-3 at the plate. Engelhardt finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored while sophomore pitcher Chris Pallas (Rome, N.Y.) went five innings, allowed 12 hits and seven earned runs to record his third (0-3) loss of the year.

Game 2 – SIT-7, Utica-2
Utica got things going early as Engelhardt recorded his first homer of the season, a solo shot to deep right centerfield. Stevens went ahead in the bottom of the second when Ackerman came around to score off a double from Silva that was roped down the left field line. Silva landed on third on the throw home in the attempt to tag out Ackermann. This allowed for a hit to the right side of the infield to score Silva. It was freshman Chris Coutros that delivered a groundout to second base that plated the go-ahead run for Stevens. With two outs, men on first and third, a double steal was on as Andrews swiped home just before Daniele was picked off in his attempt to take second. A well executed play allowed Stevens to score a run to go up by two (3-1), but also allowed the Ducks to start the third inning with the top of their order.

Following four scoreless innings, the Pioneers made it a one-run game when sophomore catcher Jonathan Meyer (Pittsford, N.Y.) drove in Engelhardt off a single up the middle. However, Stevens posted four insurance runs in the bottom half of the frame to increase its scoring margin to five. Phillips plated Andrews off a single up the middle. He then came around to score on a passed ball for the second run of the inning. It was then Silva that delivered a two-out single to right centerfield that drove in Meerendonk and Rasulo for the final runs of the contest.

For Stevens, Rasulo went 2-for-2 with a pair of walks and a run scored, while Phillips finished the game having gone 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Silva batted 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored. Andrews went 2-for-2 and scored a pair of runs for the Ducks.

The Pioneers were led by Engelhardt, who batted 2-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored. There were three more hits scattered across three separate players for Utica. Senior pitcher Mike Sadallah (New Hartford, N.Y.) was tagged with the loss (0-5) having gone 5.1 innings as he allowed seven hits and posted four earned runs.

Stevens will return to action tomorrow in a doubleheader against the Pioneers slatted for a noon start in Hoboken, N.J.