Hartford, Conn. - Senior captain OF Scott McNee
(Falmouth, Mass.) scored twice and drove in three runs and
senior captain RHP Conor Fahey (Cumberland, R.I.)
allowed just one hit and struck out four in 2.2 innings of
scoreless relief to lead the visiting Worcester Polytechnic
Institute Engineers to a 9-7 win over the Trinity College Bantams
in baseball action this afternoon. Trinity, ranked No. 4 in
the nation, falls to 12-3 with its first loss in six games, its
first loss at home since April 24, 2007 (16 games), and its first
loss in a home opener since the Engineers defeated them, 14-12, in
2003. WPI improves to 14-6 with its seventh consecutive
victory.
WPI went ahead for good at 4-3 in a three-run, third inning on
two walks, an RBI single by junior captain SS Paul Galligan
(Weymouth, Mass.), a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly by
McNee. The Engineers tacked on four more runs in the next two
innings to go ahead, 8-3, in the middle of the fifth, but the
Bantams rallied for two scores in the bottom of the inning on an
RBI groundout and a two-out, RBI single by senior co-captain
Ryan Piacentini (Portland, Maine).
With Trinity trailing, 9-7, in the seventh inning, Piacentini
delivered another RBI single and the Bantams loaded the bases, but
Fahey relieved winning pitcher Alex Hansen (Burlington,
Conn.) with two outs and struck out two batters in a row
to end the rally. Bantam junior OF Matt Sullivan
(North Reading, Mass.) opened the eighth frame with a
double to the left field fence, and Trinity loaded the bases for
the second inning in a row, but Fahey escaped when junior 2B
Mark Dignum (Albany, N.Y.) bobbled a grounder and
narrowly beat hustling Trinity DH Alex Rokicki (Truro,
Mass.) with his throw to first. Fahey added a
scoreless ninth to earn his second save of the season.
Hansen threw 4.1 innings in relief and allowed five hits and
three earned runs with five strikeouts for WPI, while freshman 3B
Nick Bean (Middleboro, Mass.) and junior DH
Mike Swanton (Foxboro, Mass.) each had two hits
for the Engineer offense. Trinity sophomore SS Robert
Martin (Lowell, Mass.) joined Piacentini with two hits for
Trinity, while Bantam freshman RHP Edward Donovan (Milton,
Mass.) was impressive with 2.2 innings of scoreless
relief.
box score
