CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (taken from an MIT press release)-
Down two runs with bases loaded, two outs and a full count, MIT
senior Stewart Park rose to the occasion, hitting a three-run
double for a 6-5, walk-off win over visiting Brandeis University in
non-conference baseball action Friday on Briggs Field. With the
win, the Engineers rose to 5-6 (0-3 NEWMAC) on the season, while
the Judges slid to 7-11 (1-4 UAA) on the year.
After a scoreless first inning, MIT was first to get on the board
in the second. Senior Dan Hyatt led with a double off the
left-field fence, followed by an RBI single from freshman Ricardo
Perez. Rookie Aric Dama added another single before sophomore Torre
Swanson cleared the bases with a two-RBI double just out of reach
of sophomore CF Zach Malis (Merrick, N.Y./Bellmore
JFK), putting the Engineers up 3-0.
Brandeis scored its first run in the 5th, when Malis sent a sac-fly
to deep center field, allowing senior 2B John
O'Brion (Portland, Maine/Portland) to sneak home and
narrow the lead to two.
The Judges got their momentum going in the seventh, when O'Brion
and seniors Artie Posch (Hopedale, Mass./Hopedale)
and James Likis (Cambridge, Mass./Cambridge Rindge
& Latin) hit three consecutive singles to load the bases with
none out. MIT pitcher Ryne Barry tallied a strikeout and forced a
fly on the next two batters, but his escape was foiled by Brandeis
rookie LF Chris Ferro (Walpole, Mass./Walpole),
who slipped a shot down the left-field line to bring in two runners
and tie the game, 3-3.
Brandeis took the lead in the eighth, after MIT reliever Columbus
Leonard dropped a run on an RBI double to junior 3B Tony
Deshler (Pepperell, Mass./Lawrenceville School). Sensing
trouble, the Engineers brought out closer Henry Zhu with the bases
loaded and one out. Likis brought home senior 1B Drake
Livada (Cape Elizabeth, Maine/Cape Elizabeth) with a
squeeze bunt, giving the Judges a 5-3 lead that they carried into
the ninth.
MIT's rally was setup by three singles from MIT freshman Ricardo
Perez, sophomore Zach Carr, and freshman James McKinney. The Judges
brought senior Kyle Ritchie (Brewster,
Mass./Nauset Regional) to face the would-be final batter, and
after a series of
tense pitches, Park nailed a hit to center field for 3 RBI's and
the 6-5 victory.
Brandeis junior pitcher John McGrath (New York,
N.Y./Trevor Day) threw for 6.1 innings, allowing 3 runs while
notching 4 strikeouts and 2 walks. Senior reliever Nick Pollack
(Brooklyn, N.Y./Berkley Carrol School) received the loss after
letting 3 runs score in 2.1 innings with two strikeouts.
Barry totaled 7 innings thrown for the Engineers with 3 runs, 3
strikeouts and 1 walk. Leonard tallied two runs and only one out,
while Zhu (1-0) picked up his first win on a scoreless 1.2 innings
pitched, lowering his season ERA to 0.84 over 10.2 innings.
MIT takes the field again Saturday, April 3, against the Beavers of
Babson College, in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic
Conference (NEWMAC) doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. The Judges
also play Saturday in a non-conference doubleheader against Clark
University, beginning at 11 a.m.
BRANDEIS-MIT BOX SCORE