READING, Mass. — The MIT baseball team swept Husson University in a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Austin Preparatory School. The Engineers earned a comfortable 4-1 victory in game one before rallying from a 2-0 deficit to take game two, 4-3.
THE BASICS:
- Game One: MIT 4, Husson 1 (7 inn.)
- Game Two: MIT 4, Husson 3 (7 inn.)
- Records: MIT (3-9 Overall); Husson (1-7 Overall)
HOW IT HAPPENED - Game One:
- Starting pitcher Matthew Spenner picked up his first victory of the season, spinning 65 pitches over 5.0 innings, while giving up just three hits, striking out six and surrendering one earned run in his fourth appearance of the season.
- A Zev Moore RBI double in the bottom of the first inning put MIT ahead early, and the Engineers never let go of the lead. Zev Moore drove in Maximo Del Pino after Del Pino started the rally with a one-out single.
- The Engineers made it 2-0 in the second inning, as MIT put together three straight singles to open the inning, including a bunt single from Yamato Takahashi that loaded the bases. Dalton Chi then lifted a sacrifice fly into right to score a run. Unfortunately, MIT could not add to the lead in the inning.
- Husson got a run back in the top of the fourth when Cam Rendell homered with one out. However, MIT bounced back quickly in the bottom half, scoring on a sacrifice fly from Takahashi to make the score 3-1.
- The final MIT run came in the bottom of the fifth, as Chi manufactured some insurance with a single and a pair of stolen bases before scoring from third on an RBI single to right from Zev Moore.
- Leading 4-1, Jack Finnegan and Chase Rubin slammed the door in relief for MIT, with each pitching an inning and striking out two. Rubin threw the final three outs to earn the save.
HOW IT HAPPENED - Game Two:
- MIT was in control in game one but had to fight for control in game two, falling behind early before finding a way back with three runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to claim a 4-3 victory.
- Following two scoreless innings to begin the contest, Husson scored in both the third and fourth innings to jump ahead 2-0. Yates Emerson delivered an RBI single in the third and Henry Lausier homered to left in the fourth.
- Trailing for the first time on the day, MIT responded with three runs on two hits in the bottom of the fourth to take a 3-2 lead. Owen Malone started the rally with a leadoff single before James Dempsey and Del Pino were both hit by pitches to load the bases. Malone would score later in the inning on an RBI single from John Dwyer, while Dempsey came in to score on a sacrifice fly from Takahashi. Del Pino was cut down at home attempting to score on a wild pitch, but Dwyer would push MIT ahead on a double steal with runners on the corners to make the score 3-2.
- MIT added another run in the fifth, as Zev Moore doubled to lead off the inning before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt and scoring on a sacrifice fly from Malone.
- Husson got one back in the top of the sixth on an RBI double from Colin Marshall but MIT reliever Deven Pietrzak came on to end the rally, getting Emerson to ground into a big inning-ending double play. Pietrzak gave up a leadoff single in the seventh but got the next three batters to secure the save and the win.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- MIT has now won three straight games after opening the season 0-9.
- Spenner's five-inning effort in game one matched a career-high.
- Zev Moore finished the day with two doubles, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored.
- Dalton Chi had a hit in each game and is currently batting .400 with a .525 slugging percentage through 12 games to start his collegiate career.
- Will Steen Koppell earned the victory in game two, pitching 2.1 innings in relief. The victory was the first of his collegiate career.
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