By Matt Noonan
MIT’s baseball season concluded this morning in Harwich as the Engineers saw its three-run lead erased by a four-run fifth inning and a five-run seventh by Daniel Webster in the NCAA Division III New England Regional Baseball Tournament.
The No. 8 seeded Daniel Webster dropped their first tournament game yesterday to No. 1 Southern Maine, 5-2, but kept their playoff hopes alive with a 10-4 victory against the fifth seeded Engineers.
The Eagles will play the loser of Endicott College-Wheaton College tomorrow at 1 p.m.
Hayden Cornwell began the Engineers three-run first inning by driving in Creed Mangrum, who led off the frame with an infield single. Parker Tew followed with a two-run home run to provide MIT with a 3-0 lead, but Daniel Webster trimmed the deficit in the top of the second off a triple by Tyler Bonin, who sent Elliot Kilgore to the plate.
MIT responded in the bottom of the inning with their fourth and final run as James McKinney sent K.J. Parent to the dish on a single to right field.
Aric Dama, who started for the Engineers, pitched four and one-third innings, but gave up five earned runs. He did finish with two strikeouts, though.
MIT’s season concludes with a 27-13 mark, as well as this year’s ECAC Division III New England Baseball champions.
Excluding MIT, Salem State, another local squad, saw its season conclude with a 7-5 setback to St. Joseph’s (ME) in the second game of the day.
The Vikings lost to Wheaton last night, 5-3, and never led the Monks. Ryan Beliveau recorded two of his team’s five runs, along with one hit, while teammates Kevin Salines, Brett Cahill, Richard Fecteau and Matt Burgess each recorded one RBI.
Salem State’s season ends with a 25-15 overall record, as well as this year’s Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) champions. The Vikings hadn’t won their conference crown since 2006.
