03/21/2009
Baseball Splits With WPI in First NEWMAC Game of Year

Worcester, MA --- Freshman Nicholas Kellogg (Florence, MA) belted a solo-shot homerun to snap a 7-7 tie in the top of the eighth and lift the Clark University baseball team to an 8-7 NEWMAC victory over WPI in the first game of a doubleheader at Granger Field on Saturday. The Cougars fell in the nightcap, 5-0. The game was originally scheduled at WPI but was moved to Clark due to poor field conditions.

Clark is 6-10 and 1-1 in the conference, while WPI is now 8-6 on the season, 1-1 in the NEWMAC.

In the opener, Clark starter Matthew Tillo (Osterville, MA) dealt five shutout innings at the Engineers, as the Cougars held a 5-0 advantage through the top of the sixth. Scott Hollingsworth's (Tilton, N.H.) RBI single and Phil DiMarco's (Bellingham, MA) team-leading fifth triple drove in two runs for a 3-0 lead in the third, followed by an RBI sacrifice fly from Mitch DeLorenzo (Berlin, CT) and Steve DeMartino's (East Haven, CT)first homerun of the season to extend Clark's lead (5-0) in the sixth.

WPI's Galligan led off the Engineers' sixth with a home run, while Bryan Watkins worked a bases-loaded walk to pull WPI to within 5-2.

The Cougars re-established their five-run edge in the seventh, taking a 7-2 lead by scoring on an infield RBI single by Hollingsworth and a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded from Kevin Kopec (Katonah, NY).

The Crimson-and-Gray would pull even in their final at-bat however, scoring five runs on just two hits to tie the game at seven. Back-to-back doubles and a walk resulted in a bases-loaded fielder's choice RBI by John Flynn (Albion, ME) and another run scored on a Cougar miscue to pull WPI to within 7-4. Nick Bean (Middleboro, MA) hit into another fielder's choice, scoring a run, and Matt Moreau (Manchester, NH) followed with an RBI groundout and WPI added yet another run on a Clark throwing error to tie the contest up at 7-7.

The tie was short-lived, however, as Kellogg led off the eighth with the eventual game-winning homerun off Kyle Boucher (Manchester, NH). It was the freshman first baseman's second career round-tripper.

Boucher fell to 0-1 on the season. David Gagnon (Harwich, MA) picked up his first win of the year for Clark, tossing two innings without giving up an earned run despite coming on in relief during the Engineers' game-tying rally.

Hollingsworth (Tilton, NH) was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs for Clark, while Phillip DiMarco (Bellingham, MA) drove in two runs. Galligan was 2-for-5 for WPI.

WPI won the second game 5-0 behind a complete game shutout by Conor Fahey (Cumberland, RI).

Fahey was impressive, allowing only three hits and a walk while striking out 10 on the afternoon. The senior, who now has won four career starts at Clark, evened his record at 1-1 on the season.

The Engineers gave Fahey all the support he needed, as they plated three runs to take a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Moreau and Ryan Brown (Worcester, MA) led off the frame with hits before Cody McGregor (Westfield, MA) drove Moreau home with a single to give WPI a 1-0 lead. Brown later scored on an error and shortstop Paul Galligan (Weymouth, MA) drove McGregor in for the 3-0 edge.

The Crimson and Gray tacked on two more in the sixth, as Joe Walsh (Weymouth, MA) and Mark Dignum (Albany, NY) produced RBI singles to stake WPI to a 5-0 lead.

Eight different Engineers had hits in game two, led by Ryan Brown's 3-for-3 effort. The sophomore had two doubles and two runs in the game to pace the WPI attack.

Kopec, DiMarco and Tillo each recorded a hit in the game.

Jon Merritt (East Bridgewater, MA) took the loss on the mound for the Cougars. He scattered 11 hits and five runs (three earned) and struck out eight batters.

Clark will host UMass-Boston on Tuesday (3 p.m.).

Portions of story taken from WPI Sports Information Release