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Game Story

Mansfield, CT --- It's said the great thing about sports is you always have a chance to redeem yourself.  Count WPI senior Scott McNee as a believer in that statement. 

In Wednesday's opening game of the NCAA Division III New England regional, the senior dropped a sure out in the middle of Suffolk's four-run top of the eighth inning.  Two batters later a three-run double and a RBI single turned a 6-2 WPI advantage into a 6-6 stalemate. 

The Engineers proved resilient, using a Joe Walsh RBI single in the bottom of the frame to earn a 7-6 win and a date with NEWMAC foe Babson in Thursday's second round.  

"Yesterday was a really rough day for me," declared McNee.  "I didn't hit, I got picked off second and I made that terrible error that really cost us" 

McNee wasted no time redeeming himself, launching a two-run homer in the first inning and totaling four RBI on the day to propel the Engineers to a 15-5 winner over the Beavers and earning WPI a spot in the winner's bracket championship game on Friday. 

"Today I just tried to come in and be a little more loose, said McNee.  "Yesterday I guess I was a bit too amped up. Plus playing Babson helps too, we've seen them I don't know how many times this year, so it was a little more familiar and I could relax a little bit more." 

When McNee made that play yesterday, nobody felt worse about it than he did," said head coach Mike Callahan.  "I knew he wasn't going to let that happen again and that he was going to have a big day today. He's been doing it for four years and it's really nothing new." 

The senior right fielder collected three hits on the day, falling a triple short of the cycle.  Even with all the of his success, McNee want to share the wealth with his teammates, particularly the players batting behind him in the lineup. 

"Today was just an all-around great effort from all the hitters," said the senior co-captain.  "Mitch (McClune) swings a heck of the a stick.  He can hit the ball a long ways, so it's always nice to have him behind me. (Nick) Bean is just a great hitter all around. You can put the ball anywhere on the plate and Bean will put a good swing on it."

For McNee, Thursday proved to be better than Wednesday.  The WPI faithful can only hope it continutes to get better.