Clarkson returns to NCAA tournament as Day Three of Conference Championships rained out

Troy, NY - For the second time in three seasons, the Clarkson University Baseball team will represent the Liberty League as conference champions as the Golden Knights, virtue of a 2-0 record through the first two days of the tournament championship, gained the conference's automatic bid when rain washed out Sunday's contests.

The Golden Knights, 19-17 overall after a 2-1 victory over Skidmore on Friday and an overwhelming 17-3 win against Rensselaer in what proved to be the championship game, will likely head to the New York Regional in Auburn, NY at Falcon Park, the regular-season home of the New York-Penn League's Auburn Doubledays.

Clarkson had four players named to the Liberty League All-Tournament team. The Most Outstanding Player of the tournament was also the regular season's conference player of the year, David Kinney (Mexico, NY). Kinney, David Goerold (Clifton Park, NY), Garrett Russell (Lake George, NY), and David Wixted (Ballston Lake, NY) were named to the Liberty League All-Tournament team.

Kinney batted .556 over two games, going 5-for-9. He had a double, a home run, and drove in four runs while scoring four times. In the opener of the tournament, he pitched one inning to earn the save, striking out the final two batters of the game. Goerold started the opener for the Knights, and allowed just four hits and no walks over eight innings of work, striking out seven hitters. Russell homered in each contest over the weekend and drove in five runs, while Wixted batted .400 with a team-best six RBIs in the two-game set.

Clarkson will await the NCAA Tournament selections on Sunday evening to discover who its opponent will be in the opener of the regional.