Providence, R.I.-Sophomore pitcher Stephen Lapatin (Cranston, RI) hurled eight strong innings as Rhode Island College held off a ninth-inning rally to defeat MIT, 9-5, in collegiate baseball action played at Anchorman Field on Wednesday afternoon.
 
The Anchormen (11-25) opened the home half of the first by loading the bases as senior shortstop Zach Hubbard (Kissimmee, FL), senior center fielder Kevin Carey (Wakefield, RI) and freshman designated hitter Matt Foley (Seekonk, MA) all hit singles. With one down, junior first baseman Justin Rainville (Cumberland, RI) hit a sacrifice fly to left field to bring in Hubbard and give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
 
The floodgates opened for RIC in the second as the Anchormen scored four times in the frame, making it a 5-0 ballgame. Two runs came across on wild pitches, while Foley ripped an RBI single and freshman third baseman Justin Costa (Cranston, RI) brought in another on an RBI fielder's choice.
 
Rhode Island College increased its advantage to 7-0 with a two-run third as sophomore second baseman Mario Albunia (Jersey City, NJ) contributed an RBI single and freshman catcher Matt Billington (Cumberland, RI) hit a sacrifice fly.
 
After an error with two down in the seventh, MIT (22-10) walked four straight to give the Anchormen a 9-0 lead. Hubbard and Carey were issued free passes with the sacks full to pick up RBI in the frame.
 
The Engineers finally got to Lapatin in the top of the ninth as junior center fielder Creed Mangrum (Sandy, UT)  walked and then scored on sophomore designated hitter Hayden Cornwell's (Newport Beach, CA) RBI double to center field. Cornwell then came across on sophomore first baseman Phil Reiser's (Alpharetta, GA) RBI single.
 
With two down and runners on first and second, Lapatin was lifted for sophomore reliever Dylan Cummiskey (Warwick, RI), but sophomore right fielder Reid Bishop (Cypress, TX) greeted him with an RBI single to right field. After a wild pitch put runners on second and third, senior second baseman Andrew Jeanguenat (Grosse Pointe, MI) plated both with a two-run infield single to second.
 
An error kept the rally going, but Cummiskey got senior left fielder James McKinney (Wakefield, RI) to ground out to stifle the rally and end the game.
 
MIT sophomore starter KJ Parent (Knoxville, TN) took the loss (2-1).
 
Lapatin allowed four runs on five hits, to go along with four walks and three strikeouts, to earn his second win (2-3) in 8.2 innings of work.
 
Verrecchia went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and two doubles. Albunia went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Carey (2-for-3) and Foley (2-for-5) each picked up an RBI and had multiple hits. 
 
Cornwell went 2-for-4 with a run scored, one RBI and two doubles. Reiser went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
 
In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will host Wheaton tomorrow afternoon (3:30 p.m.).