Northboro, MA --- Senior Steven Gallagher (Coventry, RI) was named the inaugural Sue Chapman MVP in the annual baseball game between WPI and Worcester State. The Engineers won the non-conference contest by a count of 12-8 at the New England Baseball Complex.
Chapman, a pioneer who developed and nurtured the Engineers women's athletics program and went on to serve as the Lancers director of athletics from 1988-2013 also threw out the first pitch. While on Boynton Hill, Chapman, who also coached softball, won more than 100 games in both basketball and field hockey, led both teams to AIAW and NCAA tournaments and was the 1983-84 women's basketball New England Coach of the Year.
Gallagher batted 4-for-5 with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored, and made an appearance on the mound in the seventh inning. Senior Ryan Tropeano (Pembroke, MA) went 3-for-5 with a double and a pair of runs scored while graduate student Matt Howard (Worcester, MA) went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored, and junior David Larson (Port Tobacco, MD) batted 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI and a run scored. Senior Benjamin Chaffee (Franklin, MA) led the way with four RBI. The staff game was guided by senior Doug Rives (Bethany, CT) who struck out four in his fourth win of the season.
Junior Kevin Larkin (Rocky Hill, CT) was 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, three RBI and a run scored while classmate Cooper Bigelow (Leominster, MA) batted 2-for-5 with a double and a pair of RBI. Junior Kenan Kolanda (Sterling, MA) chipped in with a 2-RBI double. Senior Josh Boucher (Auburn, MA) pocketed the win while freshman Kyle Cravatis (Beverly, MA) struck out three for the Lancers.
Larkin used a two-out ground-rule double to chase home the first run of the game in the top of the first. Larson responded for WPI with a two-run single in the bottom of the frame. Two batters later, senior Josh Herlands (Glastonbury, CT) collected an RBI free pass. Chaffee then cleared the bases with a three-run double to left.
The Lancers grabbed a run back in the next half inning as freshman Michael Mabee, Jr (Saugus, MA) lifted a sacrifice fly to left. Kolanda's two-run double in the third cut the guests deficit to a pair (6-4). WPI freshman Martin McCormack (Quincy, MA) doubled in a run in the bottom of the third. Larkin chased two more home, this time with a triple with two away in the fourth. Chaffee and senior Austin Lindner (Princeton Jct., NJ) then each plated runs for WPI with a sac fly and single to center, respectively, in the bottom of the inning.
The fifth inning saw Bigelow double to left for WSU and Tropeano steal home for WPI. Bigelow went on to drive in another run in the seventh before Gallagher launched his home run for the 12-8 final.
WPI (14-5) entertains Emerson for two beginning at noon on Saturday. WSU (7-4) opens a MASCAC three-game series with Westfield State at home on Friday at 3pm.