MIT sweeps Clark with solid pitching
NEWMAC: MIT baseball records 8-1 and 2-0 wins in doubleheader
Solid starting pitching from Nicholas J. Locascio ’16 and David A. Hesslink ’17 led MIT to a sweep of Clark University in a New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) baseball doubleheader on Saturday, March 29. The Engineers took game one 8-1 before completing the sweep with a 2-0 victory that improved the Engineers to 7-3 overall and 4-0 in the NEWMAC. Clark fell to 4-13 and 1-4 with the losses.
Hesslink was outstanding in the second game of the day for MIT, throwing a complete-game, one-hit shutout in just the third start of his collegiate career. He allowed just a two-out single in the first inning to Daniel Lima, retiring 13 straight after the hit before issuing a walk to Brett O’Keefe leading off the sixth. He struck out five while allowing four walks as he improved to 2-0. Miles Sheehan also threw a complete game for Clark, giving up just the two runs on eight hits while striking out 11 in the pitchers dual.
MIT scored the only run it would need in the third when Jonathan E. Rea ’14 laid down a bunt single to lead off. He then moved up to second on a groundout before Parker A. Tew ’15 brought him around to score with a single to center. In the sixth the Engineers added another when Sean P. Karson ’14 followed a double by Patrick E. Dayton ’14 with an RBI single to right.
In game one Locascio won his second straight NEWMAC start by allowing just one earned run over eight innings on seven hits while striking out seven without issuing a walk. Locascio allowed multiple hits in an inning just twice, while retiring the side in order three times as he improved to 2-1.
Creed J. Mangrum ’12 got things going for the Engineers with a two-run home run to right in the top of the third. Clark made it a one-run game in the fourth when Daniel Lima led off with a single, stole second and then moved to third on a balk. With one down he scored when Michael Eglow grounded out to third.
MIT answered that run with a tally in the top of the fifth, loading the bases with one out on a hit batter, an error and a single. Nathaniel H. Rodman ’16 then hit into a fielder’s choice play that allowed the run to score. The Engineers tacked one more on in the eighth on an RBI single by Rea before putting the contest out of reach with four more in the ninth, highlighted by a bases loaded triple off the bat of Kyle J. Parent ’15.
MIT is scheduled to play another NEWMAC game today. The Engineers will travel to Springfield College for a 3:30 p.m. contest. The Engineers and Pride will complete the game that was suspended in the top of the 15th inning last week prior to playing the regularly scheduled contest. Clark will also play a NEWMAC game today, hosting Wheaton College at 3:30 p.m.