NORTHBOROUGH, Mass.—Junior Brian McHale (Ramsey, N.J.) homered twice and drove in four runs to lead visiting Babson College to a 9-3 victory over WPI in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) baseball action on Tuesday afternoon at the New England Baseball Complex.
With the win, Babson improves to 8-7 overall and 1-2 in league play, while WPI slips to 7-10 overall and 0-3 in the NEWMAC.
McHale finished the day with three hits and three runs scored, while junior Eric Jaun (Loveland, Ohio) went 3-for-5 with an RBI for the Beavers. Sophomore Matthew Valente (Wyckoff, N.J.) was 2-for-4 with two runs batted in, senior Ryan Arena (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) had two hits, including a homer, and classmate Mark Webber (Norwell, Mass.) doubled and scored twice in the win.
Junior Michael Genaro (Greenwich, Conn.) improved to 3-1 after giving up three runs while striking out six and walking just one over 7.0 innings.
Junior Ryan Tropeano (Pembroke, Mass.) homered as part of a three-hit day and sophomore Tyrone Patterson (Upper Marlboro, Md.) went 2-for-5 with two runs batted in to pace the Engineers' 13-hit attack. Sophomore David Larson (Port Tobacco, Md.) started but lasted just three innings after giving up six runs on eight hits and three walks to fall to 1-1 on the year.
McHale gave the Green and White the lead with a leadoff homer in the top of the first, and he and Arena both hit solo shots as a part of a three-run second that extended the lead to 5-1. Patterson cut the WPI deficit in half with a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the second, but McHale walked and stole second with two outs in the third before racing home on junior Connor Gill's (Sterling, Mass.) base hit to right center for a 6-3 lead.
The Beavers continued their onslaught with a three-run fourth inning. Webber greeted Engineers' junior reliever Tyler Weiss (Monroe, Conn.) with a double to left center and later came around to score on Valente's RBI knock. Babson loaded the bases with two outs thanks to a single and a walk before McHale drove in a pair with his third hit of the day to make it 9-3.
Genaro worked around a pair of singles in the fourth and fifth innings before retiring six of the last seven batters he faced.
Both teams return to action on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. as Babson hosts Curry, while WPI takes on Fitchburg State.
GAME NOTES
• The Beavers are 47-24 all-time against WPI and snapped a three-game skid in the series with Tuesday's win.
• Webber and McHale have combined to hit .500 (18-for-36) with four homers, three doubles and 15 runs batted in over the last five games against the Engineers.
• The Green and White matched its season high with five extra-base hits and struck out just twice on Tuesday.
• Valente has now reached base in 10 consecutive games.