04/18/2009
Baseball Splits with MIT by Identical 8-4 Scores

WORCESTER, MASS. 4/18/09 - The Clark University baseball team split with MIT by identical 8-4 scores in a key New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference doubleheader on Senior Day Saturday at Granger Field. The Engineers won the opener in dramatic fashion, while Clark took control in the nightcap.

With the split, the Cougars (12-19, 3-8 NEWMAC) earned the sixth seed in the upcoming conference tournament and will play at top-seed WPI in a first round game on Wednesday (TBA). MIT (17-9, 7-5 NEWMAC) secured the third seed and will host a first-round game that same day (opponent and time TBD).

In the second game, Clark overcame an early 3-0 deficit to pull out the win. Sophomore Scott Hollingsworth's (Tilton, N.H.) two-out double to left center started the rally in the bottom of the third. After a hit batsman put two runners on, junior Phil DiMarco (Bellingham, Mass.) singled Hollingsworth in to get Clark on the board (1-3). Freshman Mitch DeLorenzo (Berlin, Conn.) followed with a two-run double to tie it up.

Sophomore Andrew Agostini (Williamstown, Mass.) then led off the fourth with his first career homerun to give the Cougars a one-run (4-3) lead.

The Engineers tied the game again in the seventh when senior Thomas Phillips (Durham, N.C.) walked, stole second and came around to score on David Nole's (Torrington, Conn.) RBI hit.

Clark took the lead for good in the bottom of the frame on a bases-loaded fielders choice hit by DiMarco and a run-producing single by DeLorenzo for a 6-4 advantage. Shawn Lamothe (Bellingham, Mass.) and Hollingsworth both had RBI hits in the eighth to pad Clarks lead (8-4).

Sophomore Rob Lopez (Copake, N.Y.) retired the side in order in the ninth to end the game.

Freshman James Wilson (Chatham, N.J.) earned the win on the mound, while DeLorenzo went 3-for-4 with three RBI to lead Clark's offense.

Senior Stephen Toth (Walden, N.Y.) took the loss for MIT.

Nole had two hits, including a grand-slam homerun in the top of the seventh, in MIT's 8-4 opening game victory.

With the score knotted at 4-4, the Engineers manufactured a four-run seventh to grab the lead. Freshman Creed Mangrum (Sandy, Utah) reached on a one-out ground-rule double to start things off. After Clark senior pitcher Dave Gagnon (Harwich, Mass.), who came on in relief, induced a pop-up out by Dan Hyatt (Wallingford, Conn.), Phillips was intentionally walked and Steven Nunez (Tulare, Calif.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. That set the stage for Nole's eventual game-winning homerun. The senior outfielder belted a 3-2 pitch just over the left field fence for his third round-tripper of the year and an 8-4 MIT lead.

The Cougars threatened in the bottom of the inning, but stranded two runners on base to end the game.

Mangrum picked up the win to improve to 2-0 for MIT.

Clark honored seniors Greg Long (Milford, Mass.), David Gagnon and Matt Tillo (Osterville, Mass.) between games. The tri-captains were playing in their final regular season home contest.