AUBURNDALE, FL – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (6-1) toppled Saint Joseph's College (6-3), 18-8, in RussMatt Central Florida Invitational action on Thursday night. Sophomore Taylor Reuillard (Biddeford, Maine) knocked in a pair of runs in the loss for the Monks.

Riding high after recording consecutive victories by a combined score of 33-5 earlier this week, the Monks were knocked off their feet by the Engineers, a 2013 NCAA Tournament participant who tallied 18 hits and stranded 11 runners in a convincing win.

Prior to this evening, Saint Joseph's had not allowed as many as 18 runs in a game since the Monks fell to Suffolk University by a 22-21 score on April 25th, 2009. The 10-run loss is the team's seventh such setback since 2004, a span that includes 405 contests.

RPI scored single runs in the bottom of the first and second innings and Saint Joseph's made it a 2-1 game when junior catcher Joe Coyne (Duxbury, Mass.) reached on an error and eventually scored on an Alex Markakis (Lynnfield, Mass.) sac fly.

A close game quickly turned however, as the Engineers plated seven off six hits and an SJC error in the bottom of the fourth to seize control of the contest. The Monks showed some fight with two runs in their following turn and would score five runs combined in the eighth in ninth innings, but the Engineers scored nine total in the seventh and eighth to put the game out of reach.

The Monks used six pitchers in the loss with freshman starter Nick Malatesta (Wrentham, Mass.) taking the losing decision after allowing five runs on eight hits while fanning three in 3.1 innings. Dan Meeken (Marshfield, Mass.), Riley Cox (Westford, Mass.), Tyler Neville (Orono, Maine), Thomas Fortier (Falmouth, Maine) and Chris Bryant (Gray, Maine) also saw time on the hill in the setback.

RPI senior pitcher Sean Conroy (Clifton Park, N.Y.), a 2013 D3Baseball.com Third Team All-America selection, was credited with the victory and allowed five runs (four earned) off six hits with eight K's over 7.2 innings.

Saint Joseph's looks to get back on track tomorrow with a single nine-inning game versus New England Region foe UMass.-Dartmouth at 9:30 AM.

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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 430-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.