Worcester, MA --- WPI hurler Miles Schuler (Murrieta, CA) twirled a dominating, seven-inning no-hitter in game one, but Clark bounced back in game two behind Miles Sheehan (Madison, CT) to earn a NEWMAC baseball doubleheader split on Friday afternoon on Granger Field. The Engineers won the opener 4-0 and the Cougars took the nightcap, 2-1.
Schuler (2-4) was in control all contest long in the first game, striking out a career-best 12 batters and didn't allow a walk. The only three Cougars to reach base came via hit batsmen and both times Nicholas O'Brien (Potomac, MD) was hit – once in the first and again in the fourth – Schuler was able to induce Jack Kenney (Saco, ME) to ground into a double play.
The WPI offense pushed across all the runs they would need in the top of the first off of Clark starter Derek Dubois (Haverhill, MA). After the first three batters of the game reached base for the Engineers, D.J. Ouellette (Watertown, CT) put WPI on the board with an RBI groundout. Two batters later, Vincent Tavernelli (Plymouth, MA) drove in two with a single up the middle.
After a rocky first, Dubois settled in and tossed a complete game, scattering seven hits and striking out 11 – his third straight outing with at least ten strikeouts.
WPI added an unearned run in the third on a Matt Blakeman (Bedford, NH) single, making the score 4-0.
In the end however, Schuler was the story, as only one batter – Dennis Glynn (Jamaica Plain, MA) – reached second base after being hit. He struck out the side in the second, fifth and had three strikeouts in the sixth.
After he hit Glynn in the sixth, Schuler retired the final five batters of the contest, including Kenney on a popup and both Michael Eglow (Delmar, NY) and Mitch DeLorenzo (Berlin, CT) on a groundouts to end the game.
Both Blakeman and Alex Venditti (Newton, MA) had two hits, while Anthony Capuano(Stoneham, Mass.) and Cody Holmes (Plymouth, MA) had a hit each as well for the Engineers.
In game two, another Miles – this one Miles Sheehan (Madison, CT) pitched into the eighth inning, holding WPI to just five hits en route to earning the 2-1 win.
Sheehan struck out a career-best seven in improving to 3-4 on the season in what was the best performance of his freshman campaign.
Clark struck early in the nightcap as they manufactured a run in the bottom of the first without the courtesy of a hit. Dan Lima (Manchester, CT.) drew a leadoff walk and then moved to second on a passed ball and then on to third on a wild pitch. Kenney's sacrifice fly to left gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead.
WPI knotted the score in the top of the second when Blakeman walked and then scored on aShane Sampson (Worcester, MA) double to left.
Clark scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the second when Zachary Richall(Tyngsboro, MA) tripled to right and scored on a Glynn single to right.
From then on pitching and defense ruled the contest as both starters worked out of trouble at different points in the game.
For WPI, Mark Bentson (Brewster, NY) saw runners in scoring position in the fourth and the fifth and was able to escape unscathed, while Sheehan was saved by a diving play at third by Richall in the top of the seventh.
David Balme (Brooklyn, NY) came in and got the final six outs, stranding a runner on second to end the game and pick up his second save of the season.
Bentson (3-4) takes the loss despite a strong effort, tossing six innings, allowing six hits two earned runs and five strikeouts.
Glynn was the star of game two, going 2-for-4 with an RBI, while DeLorenzo added a pair of hits of his own. Sampson was the only Engineer with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.
The two teams will wrap up their three game series on Saturday with a 5pm. start.
Release and Photo Courtesy Clark Sports Information
