WPI 2, Johnson and Wales 1

Box Score 

East Providence, RI --- Matt Moreau's (Manchester, N.H.) two-out ninth-inning double in the gap in right-center drove Bryan Watkins (Belmont, Mass.) home with the winning run, as WPI took home a hard-earned 2-1 win over Johnson and Wales in non-conference baseball action on Tuesday afternoon. The win lifted the Engineers to 6-5 on the season, while Johnson and Wales fell to 2-7.

Moreau came into the game as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning and was 2-for-2, including the game-winning hit. Moreau and Cody McGregor (Westfield, Mass.) were the only players for either team with two hits on the afternoon.

WPI, playing in its first game after its week-long 10-game trip in central Florida, started the scoring with a rally in the top of the first. The first three Engineers to bat in the game reached base, as Paul Galligan (Weymouth, Mass.) worked a walk before back-to-back singles from Mark Dignum (Albany, N.Y.) and Mike Swanton (Foxboro, Mass.) gave the Crimson-and-Gray a 1-0 lead.

WPI starter Nolan Murphy (Shrewsbury, Mass.) had to work with just the one run of support, and was up to the task. Murphy allowed the tying run in the bottom of the second, but threw eight very efficient innings for the Engineers, allowing only one run on five hits while striking out six. Murphy did not surrender a walk on the afternoon.

With the score tied at one after two innings of play, the two teams matched zeroes for the next six innings as both Murphy and Wildcats starter Bobby Gilbert (Florham Park, N.J.) allowed only five hits combined over that span.

WPI began its go-ahead rally with one out in the ninth as Watkins singled to center off reliever Matt Yaeger (Glendale, Ariz.). Moreau followed with his two-out double, scoring Watkins all the way from first with the eventual winning run.

Conor Fahey (Cumberland, R.I.), who has 19 career victories as a starter, came on in a rare relief appearance to pitch the ninth. Fahey would survive a late Wildcats rally as Johnson and Wales tried to tie the game in its last at-bat. The Wildcats were able to get a runner to third base with two outs, but Fahey induced a ground-ball out to end the game and earn his first career save.

Murphy picked up his second win of the young season for the Engineers, improving his mark to 2-0. Yaeger suffered the loss for Johnson and Wales.

WPI Baseball is back in action on Wednesday when they head up to Fitchburg to take on Fitchburg State (6-3) at 3:30pm. The Engineers defeated the Falcons in their only meeting this season, a 15-9 triumph last Thursday in Winter Haven, Florida.

Story written by Ray Cotrufo '98 - WPI Athletics Department