WPI 13, Clark 3 - NEWMAC Tournament - Day #1

Box Score

Worcester, MA --- Top-seeded WPI tallied a 13-3 victory over sixth-seed Clark in the opening round of the NEWMAC Baseball Championship tournament on Thursday afternoon. The game, originally scheduled to be played at WPI but moved to Clark due to wet field conditions, was WPI's first NEWMAC Tournament game as the #1 seed.  

The Engineers, who are ranked 30th nationally in the ABCA poll and fifth in the NCAA New England regional rankings, are now 22-9 on the season while Clark slips to 13-20.  WPI will host a NEWMAC Tournament second round contest versus third-seed MIT on Friday at 3:30pm. Clark, still alive in the double-elimination tournament, will head to Springfield to face the fifth-seeded Pride tomorrow at 3:30 pm.

Clark started the scoring in the top of the first, getting its first base runner of the game on a throwing error, then scoring on an RBI single off the bat of Mitchell DeLorenzo (Berlin, CT) to give the visiting Cougars a 1-0 lead on its home field.

The Engineers responded, scoring six runs over the first three innings to take control. Down 1-0 in the second, WPI got a one out solo homer to left from Matt Moreau (Manchester, NH) that tied the score. Then, with two outs, Jameson Kokolis (Manchester, NH) singled to center and Joe Walsh (Weymouth, MA) walked before leadoff hitter Mark Dignum (Albany, NY) drove a pitch over the fence in left-center for a three-run home run that gave WPI a 4-1 lead. The Engineers plated two more in the third, with Scott McNee (Falmouth, MA) singling with one out before first-year third baseman Nick Bean (Middleboro, MA) sent another WPI home run clear of the fence in left-center for a 6-1 WPI lead.

Clark scored its second run in the fifth, getting an RBI double from Peter Lewis (Gardiner, ME) that cut the lead to 6-2.

WPI closed the door on any potential comeback by Clark, scoring seven unanswered runs in its next three at-bats to put the game away. McNee hit a solo shot in the fifth, his team-leading seventh of the season, to make the score 7-2. In the sixth, Dignum followed a Walsh single to right with his second home run of the game to push the WPI advantage to 9-2. Shortstop Paul Galligan (Weymouth, MA) followed with a double, later scoring on a throwing error that gave WPI a 10-2 lead. The Engineers then began the seventh with four straight hits, with doubles from Cody McGregor (Westfield, MA) and Kokolis and singles from Walsh and Dignum as WPI extended the lead to 13-2.

Clark plated its third run in the top of the ninth, getting a RBI single from Kevin Kopec (Katonah, NY) off reliever Bryan Watkins (Belmont, MA). Watkins threw two innings in relief of starter Conor Fahey (Cumberland, RI). The senior and reigning NEWMAC Co-Pitcher of the Week went the first seven frames, allowing only two unearned runs on two singles, while walking none and striking out 11. Fahey now has gone 32 straight innings without allowing an earned run.

Fahey improved to 6-1 with the victory. Dignum was 3-for-5 with six RBIs to lead the Engineers, while McNee was 4-for-5 and Walsh 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Jonathon Merritt (East Bridgewater, MA) took the loss for Clark, allowing six runs on six hits in three innings of work.

Story by Ray Cotrufo '98 - WPI Sports Information