The Long Offseason Is Over; It’s Time for Baseball to Resume
The 2009 MLB season is finally under way, and while the anticipated has given way to excitement, this also means that baseball fans start to lose half of their time awake following scores and tracking their fantasy baseball team. Anyway, here are some random thoughts, and predictions for the season.
Sports Shorts
After pushing the tying run across in the top of the seventh to force extra innings, the MIT softball team exploded for 10 runs in the ninth to win game one of a New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) doubleheader, 16-7, at Smith College on Tuesday. The Engineers fell in the nightcap, 10-4, in a game that lasted just six innings due to darkness.
The Tech’s Athlete of the Week: Casey Flynn ’10
For the first time in her career Casey M. Flynn ’10 was voted the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Women’s Lacrosse Player of the Week. In a 3-0 week for MIT, she tallied 16 goals, six assists, six groundballs, four caused turnovers, and one draw control.
GAME OF THE WEEK Nunez Drives in Four As Baseball Extends Winning Streak to Four
Steven M. Nunez ’09 came off the bench to drive in four runs including a base-clearing triple in the fifth inning, as MIT earned the fourth of five consecutive victories with a 9-4 victory over Springfield College at Briggs Field on Tuesday. Rookie pitcher Christopher L. Vaughan ’12 enjoyed his best outing of the campaign after giving up one earned run in 7.1 innings of work while notching his second career win.
Taekwondo Wins Tournament At Penn, Maintains ECTC Lead
On Saturday, April 4, the MIT Sport Taekwondo team travelled to the University of Pennsylvania to compete in the fourth Eastern Collegiate Taekwondo Conference (ECTC) tournament of the year. This tournament was a crucial for the team, since a loss could mean the loss of the long aspired-for ECTC cup to the rival team from Cornell University. Despite being outnumbered by the team from Cornell, MIT’s team — coached by head instructor Dan Chuang and led by captains Christopher J. Han ’09 and Corinna Hui ’09 — finished first.
Sports Shorts
Four second-half goals proved to be the difference as MIT defeated the University of Massachusetts Boston, 9-6, in non-conference men’s lacrosse action on Tuesday. Ernest I. Park ’12 paced the Engineers with four points on a goal and three assists.
The Tech’s Athletes of the Week: David Iba ’09 and Brian Wee ’12
The No. 2 doubles tandem of David E. Iba 09 and Brian J. Wee 12 were voted the NEWMAC Men’s Tennis Doubles Team of the Week following a pair of victories in both of their outings last week. Against nationally-ranked No. 27 The College of New Jersey, the duo defeated their foes, 8-6. Iba and Wee then topped their Springfield College counterparts, 8-0.
Sports Shorts
MIT’s varsity heavyweight crew began its spring season with a strong showing against one of the best crews in the country, finishing less than two seconds behind Columbia in the Alumni Cup. Columbia, which finished sixth at last year’s national championships, entered the campaign ranked No. 8 in the nation.
Six Teams Compete in Second MIT Cricket Club Tournament
Even though cricket is played or followed by more than a billion people all over the world, Boston has not seen much of it. Thanks to the MIT Cricket Club, which organized its second cricket tournament at MIT from March 14 to March 29, MIT became center stage for some exciting rounds of cricket. The tournament was the club’s first ever indoor tournament, with matches held in the Johnson Athletic Center. It was sponsored by the Students Activities Office, the Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, and the International Students Organization.
GAME OF THE WEEK Men’s Swimming and Diving Ninth at 2009NCAA Championship
With numerous outstanding performances, MIT men’s swimming and diving capped the 2008-09 season with its highest finish at the NCAA Championships in 27 years. The men finished ninth overall in the team standings, while the women’s team also closed out the year with a pair of solid swims.