Northboro, MA --- John Mulready (Rockland, MA) drew the game-winning RBI walk and Nick Comei (Haverhill, MA) batted 2-for-4 with a double, three RBI and two runs scored as WPI edged Becker, 8-7, non-conference baseball triumph on Wednesday at the New England Baseball Complex.
With the win, the Engineers improve to 17-12 while the Hawks even out at 10-10.
The Crimson and Gray, down 7-4 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, saw Comei smack a two-run double to right and Sean Greene (Hingham, MA) follow with an RBI double of his own to even the game at 7-7. After a pair of pitching changes, Mulready walked to enable Greene to score the decisive run.
Becker had the bases loaded with zero outs in the ninth but Drew Gelinas (Saco, ME) sandwiched a pickoff with a pair of strikeouts to preserve the Engineer victory.
DJ Ouellette (Watertown, CT) collected the first RBI of the game when he chased home Green with a ground out in the bottom of the first.
The Hawks broke through and put up six runs in the top of the third. Matthew Consigli (Whitinsville, MA) sent an RBI single down the left field line to level the game at 1-1. Sean Stone (Blackstone, MA) began a string of run-producing at-bats with an infield knock. Niko Bedell (Manorville, NY) followed with a two-run double to right and T.J. Sempkowski (Oceanport, NJ) produced a run with a ground out. Kevin Perez (Jersey City, NJ) capped the surge with an RBI hit to center field.
Becker tacked on another run in the fourth courtesy of Stone's double to center.
WPI began to whittle away at the Hawks 7-1 advantage with a three-run sixth inning. Comei plated the first run with a single to center before Greene doubled (ground rule) to center for another tally. Alex Venditti (Newton, MA) later walked with the bases loaded to make it a 7-4 ballgame.
Aidan Freeburg (Billerica, MA) picked up the win with a four-inning relief appearance while Gelinas fanned a game-best four batters in the final two frames en route to the save. Mike Duclos (Greenfield, MA) teamed with Freeburg and Gelinas to strikeout nine Hawks. The trio also picked off four runners on the day.
Mark Brousseau (Worcester, MA) struck out three in the first six innings. Nicholas Hawrylciw (Amesbury, MA) shouldered the setback while Tyler Pietrowicz (Worcester, MA) and Christopher LaDou (Worcester, MA) also saw time on the bump for Becker.
Connor Kurtz (Lunenburg, MA) also went 2-for-4 for the Engineers to go with a walk and a pair of runs scored as Greene (2-for-5) drove in two and scored twice.
Stone paced the Hawks with a 3-for-4 outing with a walk, two RBI and a run scored. Consigli (2-for-5) added an RBI and two runs scored, and Trevor Read (Colorado Springs, CO) walked twice.
WPI opens a NEWMAC West Division set with Springfield on Friday at the New England Baseball Complex. First pitch is at 3:30pm. Becker travels to Elms for a single NECC game on Thursday at 7:30pm.
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