Massachusetts Institute of Technology

KINGSTON, R.I. -- James Dempsey finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs and John Spivey launched a second inning home run as the fourth-seeded MIT baseball team held on to defeat second-seeded Wheaton College, 8-7, in a 2026 NEWMAC Baseball Championship elimination game on Saturday morning at Bill Beck Field on the campus of the University of Rhode Island. 

Third-seeded Babson defeated top-seeded Salve Regina, 7-5, in the winner's bracket on Saturday, setting up an MIT and Salve Regina rematch on Saturday afternoon for the right to face Babson in Sunday's NEWMAC Championship round.  

THE BASICS:

• Score: MIT 8, Wheaton 7 
• Records: MIT (15-20 overall, 10-6 NEWMAC); Wheaton (26-13 overall, 10-6 NEWMAC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• MIT took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, as Dalton Chi walked with one out before Zev Moore singled to move Chi into scoring position. A John Dwyer groundout moved the runners along before Dempsey cleared the bases with a triple to plate the first two MIT runs.  
• The first Wheaton batter of the game reached base on an error, but MIT starter Matthew Spenner got the next three Lyons in order to end the first.  
• MIT added two more runs in the second inning thanks to Spivey's third home run of the season to move ahead 4-0. Wheaton cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning thanks to a two-run home run from Ray Toth. 
• The Engineers extended their advantage to 5-2 in the top of the third, as Owen Malone singled to center to drive in Joey Severson after Severson had reached base on a hit-by-pitch.  
• Wheaton rallied back to tie the game 5-5 by scoring in the fourth and fifth innings. A Ty Bellan RBI single scored a run in the fourth before Wheaton scored on a sacrifice fly and a Logan Downey RBI single in the fifth. 
• The game didn't remain tied for long thanks to two MIT runs in the top of the sixth inning. Spivey hit a leadoff single and scored on an RBI double from Chi. Following a Zev Moore flyout to center that advanced Chi to third, Dwyer drove in Chi with a single to make the score 7-5. 
• The Engineers would eventually move ahead 8-5 in the eighth inning when Dempsey drove in his third run of the game with an RBI single.  
• Toth provided some late drama with his second two-run home run of the day, drawing the Lyons within one run in the bottom of the eighth. Following Toth's home run, MIT reliever Chase Rubin got the final two batters of the eighth to pop up and ground out to end the threat. Rubin then worked around a walk in the bottom of the ninth, getting a game-ending 6-3 double play to send MIT on to the next round. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Rubin earned the win, going 4.2 innings in relief of Spenner. Rubin gave up four hits and two earned runs while striking out two.  
• Spivey finished 2-for-5 with a walk and two runs scored. Zev Moore and Malone also each had a pair of hits and a walk.  
• Chi was 1-for-3 with a double but reached base four times thanks to a game-high three walks.  
• Dwyer has now hit safely in 15 of his past 16 games. 

UP NEXT:

• MIT will play Salve Regina later Saturday at 2:00 PM at Bill Beck Field for the right to play in the NEWMAC Championship Round on Sunday against Babson. 
• UPDATE: The game against Salve Regina was suspended due to weather with one out and a runner on first base in the top of the 6th inning. The contest will resume on Sunday, May 10 at 9:30 AM at Bill Beck Field on the campus of the University of Rhode Island.

STAY CONNECTED:

• For the latest on MIT Athletics, follow the Engineers on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.