TROY, N.Y. - The Hartford Hawks baseball earned a dominant road victory Wednesday afternoon, defeating the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 13-2.

Rapid Recap: 

• The Hawks threatened early as senior Ryan Knight (Peabody, Ma) tripled to left center in the first inning, but the game remained scoreless through the opening three frames.
• Hartford broke through in the fourth inning when senior Jackson Ciccone (Danbury, Conn.) doubled to right center and later scored on an RBI single from senior Jeremy Mangiameli (Middlefield, Conn), giving the Hawks a 1-0 lead.
• The Engineers tied the game in the fifth inning on an RBI single, evening the score at 1-1.
• The Hawks regained the lead in the seventh inning, as senior John Russell (Eastchester, N.Y.) reached on an error that allowed a run to score before junior JJ Romatzick (Stratford, Conn.) launched a three-run home run to left field putting Hartford ahead, 5-1
• Hartford broke the game open in the eighth, scoring six runs. Russel delivered a two-RBI double before Romatzick added an RBI single. Knight followed with a two-run double and Ciccone drove in another run as the Hawks extended their lead to 11.
• Hartford added two more runs in the ninth inning, highlighted by an RBI triple from Romatzick, before securing the 13-2 victory.

On the Mound:

• Several Hawks' pitchers combined to hold the Engineers to just two runs. Sophomore Justin Gouin (North Haven , Conn.) and freshman Logan Smalley (Chatham, N.Y.) provided scoreless relief in both of their appearances. Junior Sam Smith (Branford, Conn.) threw for two innings just allowing one hit and run, but claiming two strikeouts facing seven at bats. Sophomore Jeffrey Blake (Hopewell, N.J.) pitched for four innings, striking four Engineers out at the plate, Blake allowed three hits and one run after facing 15 at bats.

At the Plate:

• Romatzick led the Hawks offensively, completing the cycle with a single, double, triple, and home-run along with four RBIs. Knight recorded a triple and double with two RBI's, while Russell added a two-RBI double as Hartford totaled 13 runs in the win.

Post Game Press:
"It's a pretty cool achievement," said junior JJ Romatzick (Stratford, Conn.) when asked how it felt completing a cycle this afternoon. "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."