The Hartford Hawks baseball team earned a decisive 13-2 win over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on March 11 in Troy, New York.
The game was marked by strong offensive and pitching performances from the Hawks. The result highlights Hartford’s momentum as the team prepares for upcoming games.
Senior Ryan Knight opened the game with a triple, but both teams remained scoreless through three innings. In the fourth, senior Jackson Ciccone doubled and later scored on an RBI single by senior Jeremy Mangiameli to give Hartford a 1-0 lead. Rensselaer tied the game in the fifth inning with an RBI single. The Hawks regained control in the seventh when senior John Russell reached on an error that allowed a run, followed by junior JJ Romatzick’s three-run home run to left field, putting Hartford ahead 5-1.
Hartford extended its lead in the eighth inning by scoring six runs. Russell hit a two-RBI double, Romatzick added an RBI single, Knight delivered a two-run double, and Ciccone drove in another run. Two more runs were added in the ninth inning, including an RBI triple from Romatzick.
Several pitchers contributed to holding Rensselaer to just two runs. Sophomore Justin Gouin and freshman Logan Smalley provided scoreless relief appearances. Junior Sam Smith pitched two innings with one hit and one run allowed while striking out two batters. Sophomore Jeffrey Blake threw four innings, allowing three hits and one run while striking out four.
Romatzick led at the plate by hitting for the cycle—recording a single, double, triple, and home run—and driving in four runs. Knight had both a triple and double with two RBIs, while Russell contributed a two-RBI double as part of Hartford’s total of 13 runs.
“It’s a pretty cool achievement,” said junior JJ Romatzick when asked about completing the cycle during the game. “I’m glad I was able to give some momentum towards our win but wouldn’t have been able to do it without my teammates and the way they swung it today. We’re starting to find our stride a little bit after being inside all winter. Everyone’s just getting more comfortable in the box now and we are all super pumped up to head down to Florida and play in the nice weather.”
The Hawks are scheduled to return home Thursday for their next matchup against Eastern Connecticut State.
