Rasulo, Grimes Power Baseball's 11-3 Win Over Clarkson

3/15/2010 12:00:00 AM

AUBURNDALE, Fla. (March 15, 2010) – Senior Mark Rasulo went 5-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored as the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team rebounded from yesterday's loss to No. 19 SUNY Cortland with a dominating 11-3 victory over 2009 Liberty League champion Clarkson University at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale, Fla. Stevens now evens its overall record to 5-5 on the year, while the Golden Knights fell to 1-4 on the young season.

Junior Russ Grimes, recently named Empire 8 Player of the Week, belted his fourth homer in as many games, going three-for-five on the day with three RBI and a run scored. Sophomore designated hitter T.J. Alcorn finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored, while fellow sophomore Chris Coutros went 2-for-3 with three runs scored. All told, the Ducks tallied 11 runs on 13 hits and four Clarkson errors.

Senior ace Joe Finora went seven strong for Stevens, allowing just one earned run on seven hits, while striking out seven. Sophomore righthander T.J. Griffin tossed two no-hit, shutout innings in relief.

Scoreless after three and a half, Clarkson posted three runs in the bottom of the third to take the early edge. Sophomore Jerry Coleman (Potsdam, N.Y.) got things started with a two-out single back up the middle, before a Matt Curry (Richland, N.Y.) single down the leftfield line to put runners on first and second. Senior Brady Torbitt (Fulton, N.Y.) then singled to center, scoring Coleman, before a David Kinney (Mexico, N.Y.) two-out, two-run RBI single put the Golden Knights up 3-0.

Still down in four after a scoreless fourth, Stevens rallied with a four run fifth. Rasulo helped start the rally with a two-out double down the leftfield line that put runners on second and third. Alcorn then singled to center scoring Coutros and Rasulo, before Grimes blasted a homer to left to put Stevens back on top.

Finora allowed just one baserunner in the fifth and sixth innings to hold the Ducks' slim 4-3 lead, before three Stevens runs in the top half of the seventh gave the Ducks a four run cushion. With runners on the corners and one out, Alcorn again came through, punching a single to right, scoring Coutros. Grimes then singled through the left side, scoring Rasulo and forcing a Clarkson pitching change, but junior catcher Denis Ackermann promptly singled up the middle, plating the Ducks' third run of the inning.

Stevens would tack on four more runs in the top of the eighth on a Rasulo, three-run, RBI double to center and a Clarkson error, to seal the 11-3 victory.

Coleman went 3-for-4 with a run scored to lead the Clarkson offense, while Kinney finished 2-for-4 with two RBI.

Kinney went six and one third in the loss, surrendering seven runs on 11 hits.

Stevens returns to the diamond tomorrow, Tuesday, March 16 against FDU-Florham. First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m.
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