Harwich, Mass. --- Massachusetts Institute of Technology junior Parker Tew (Chapel Hill, N.C.) smashed the go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning and classmate K.J. Parent (Knoxville, Tenn.) tossed eight strong innings as the fifth-seeded Engineers edged sixth-seeded St. Joseph's of Maine in the evening elimination game of the 2014 NCAA Division III New England Baseball Regional at Whitehouse Field.
The Scarlet and Gray (27-14) move ahead to tomorrow's opening contest at 1:30 p.m. against fourth-seeded Endicott for the rights to play second-seeded Southern Maine in the title game at 5:30 p.m.
MIT, who came into Thursday 0-for-7 all-time in the national baseball playoffs with three previous appearance, have run its streak to three straight victories.
The Monks, who are making their eighth NCAA Tournament appearance since 2006, end their season at 30-15 to complete their fifth consecutive 30-win campaign.
MIT started off the contest with the early 1-0 advantage as Tew and junior Carl Sorensen (Blacksburg, Va.) tag teamed the first score with two men down. Tew doubled to start off the rally and moved up 90 feet on a solo knock by junior Phil Reiser (Alpharetta, Ga.) before Sorensen notched an RBI single through the right side.
St. Joseph's answered in the bottom of the third when freshman Brett Barbati (Melrose, Mass.) launched the opening pitch of the inning for his first collegiate homer over the fence in left field which tied up the score at 1-1.
Over the middle frames, the Monks were paced by sophomore starting pitcher Alex Valenti (Lawrence, Mass.) retired 12 of 13 batters he faced from the third through the sixth inning before he ran into trouble in the seventh. Parent matched the effort by stranding four on base – including two in scoring position.
After sophomore Nate Rodman (Corvallis, Ore.) dropped in a single to center, Tew broke the stalemate by depositing his third home run of the season down the left field line.
The Engineers tacked on a key insurance tally in the same inning when senior Patrick Dayton (Archer City, Texas) had solid pinch-hit appearance. With a man at every base, Dayton put in play a fielder's choice plated run to drive in Reiser.
In the bottom of the eighth, St. Joseph's got one back when junior Nic Lops (S. Portland, Maine) registered a sacrifice fly to drive in freshman Matt McComb (S. Berwick, Maine), who reached on a misplayed ball by the second baseman to start off the stanza.
Down 4-2 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Monks made one final push. Sophomore Taylor Reuillard (Biddleford, Maine) and senior Alex Markakis (Lynnfield, Mass.) singled before moving up one base on a sacrifice.
Following a walk by freshman Taylor Black (Cardiff By The Sea, N.Y.) to juice the bases, senior Louie Vigars (Straham, N.H.) lined a two-out infield single to plate Reuillard. But MIT senior Rob Bertucci (Bellville, Ill.) retired the final batter on a fly to right to end the game.
Parent (4-3) scattered eight hits over eight-plus innings of work while permitting three runs (two earned) to go with one walk and a trio of punch outs. Despite allowing an inherited runner to score, Bertucci notched his fifth save for a scoreless ninth.
Valenti (4-3) was tagged with the setback for the Monks. He surrendered four earned runs on six hits while he fanned six and issued one free pass. Sophomore Nathan McNamara (W. Newbury, Mass.) did give up the insurance RBI in the seventh, but he did hurl a perfect eighth and ninth to keep the Engineer offense at bay.
St. Joseph's outhit the Scarlet and Gray, 10-7, as Markakis went 3-for-4 to pace Monks. Barbati also had two base-knocks for the Monks.
Rodman, Tew and Sorensen all notched a pair of hits to lead the bottom of the line-up for MIT.