Northboro, MA --- Nick Comei (Haverhill, MA) led all players with three hits and Alex Venditti (Newton, MA) chipped in with two, including the 100th of his career, as WPI defeated Nichols 7-1 in non-conference baseball action Tuesday afternoon at the New England Baseball Complex.
The Engineers (20-13) decided to go with a committee of pitchers to defeat the Bison which combined to allow just one run through nine innings on seven hits while walking one and striking out three. Sophomore Aidan Freeburg (Billerica, MA) earned his fourth win of the year after tossing two shutout innings. Starter CJ Doskocil (Sterling, MA) and relievers Mike Duclos (Greenfield, MA) and Andrew Portera (Alpharetta, GA) and Mike Vaitkunas (Auburn, MA) were part of a Crimson and Gray effort that did not allow an earned run.
Senior Zach Blanchard (Warwick, RI) had two RBI's in the game including what proved to be the game-winning RBI double that scored Venditti in the third inning. Sean Greene (Hingham, MA) joined Blanchard, Comei and Venditti as repeat hitters for WPI, who received home runs from DJ Ouellette (Watertown, CT) and Matt Cote (Burrillville, RI) and a triple by Evan Lacroix (Methuen, MA).
Freshman Jake Perkins (Danville, NH) took the loss in the first start of his collegiate career, though he didn't pitch badly. Perkins allowed three runs (one earned) through four innings of work while giving up five hits and one walk and striking out one. Classmate Spencer Madden (Nashua, NH) went 2-for-4 with a RBI.
The Bison (5-15-1) travel to play a doubleheader with Western Conn. St. Wednesday with the first game beginning at 3p.m. The Engineers – who clinched the NEWMAC's West Division when MIT defeated Clark on Tuesday afternoon – will host Wheaton in a best-of-three semifinal series beginning Saturday at noon at Assumption.
Portions Courtesy Nichols Sports Information