AUBURN, N.Y. - Sophomore Matt Lawrence drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) baseball team to a 5-4 victory over Oberlin College in an elimination game at the New York Regional of the NCAA Tournament at Falcon Park. With the win, the Engineers improve to 29-16 overall and advance to the championship round, where they will face No. 1 SUNY Cortland at 5pm. The Yeoman conclude their season with a 21-28 record.

After Oberlin tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the ninth, the Engineers loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom half of the inning. Senior Tim LeSuer (Oak View, CA/Nordoff) led off the frame by drawing a walk, before clasmate Nick Palmiero (Patterson, NY/Carmel) dropped down a sacrifice bunt that was thrown into right field for an error. With runners on second and third, sophomore Sam Lawrence (Chicago, IL/University of Chicago High School) was intentionally walked to load the bases. With a drawn in infield, Matt Lawrence (Chicago, IL/University of Chicago High School) lifted a fly ball to right field, bringing home LeSuer from third for the winning run.

Scoreless through the first three innings, Rensselaer loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the 4th, but two infield pop outs ended the threat. The Yeoman answered by loading the bases in the top of the 5th, but RPI freshman righthander Aaron Kalish (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) struck out Benjamin Whitener (Washington, DC/Woodrow Wilson) to end the frame.

The Engineers took a 2-0 advantage in the 6th, thanks to RBI-singles from Lawrence and classmate Thomas Desmond (Alamo, CA/De LaSalle). The lead didn't last long, as Oberlin senior Benjamin Whitener (Washington, DC/Woodrow Wilson) launched a three-run homer over the fence in right.

RPI answered with two more in the 7th to go on top 4-3. Sophomore Sam Lawrence (Chicago, IL/University of Chicago High School) singled to right to tie the game, before a Matt Lawrence sac fly put the Engineers on top.

Oberlin tied the game with a run-scoring triple in top of the 9th. Sophomore Adam Aponte (Wantagh, NY/Wantagh) recorded the out of the inning, before Rensselaer won it in the bottom half.