(Game Box)

            BABSON PARK, Mass. - Babson College snapped a 6-6 tie with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning Wednesday afternoon en route to a 14-6 victory over visiting Plymouth State University in a non-conference baseball contest at Govoni Field.

            Junior Keane Steiding (Falmouth, Mass.) picked up the win in relief for Babson, tossing 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Freshman Jeff Burress (Cumberland, R.I.) went the first 5 1/3 for the Beavers, giving up six runs - only one of which was earned - on seven hits, walking three and striking out five, and classmate Billy Miller (Sagamore Beach, Mass.) added a scoreless ninth.

            PSU freshman Bobby Chatfield (Sharon, Conn.) started and went four innings and got a no decision. Sophomore Mike Moody (Manchester, N.H.) suffered the loss in relief for the Panthers, who sent five different pitchers to the mound.

            Babson freshman Sean Cleary (Milton, Mass.) had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and four RBIs. Senior Bryan Evans (Bellaire, Texas) went 4-for-5 with a double, three runs, and three driven in, while junior Jake Bartlett (Weymouth, Mass.) finished 3-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs. Sophomore Corey Highfield (East Hampstead, N.H.) also performed well at the plate, recording a pair of doubles and driving in two.

            Seniors Josh Roberti (Cranston, R.I.) and Jay Kleponis (Reading, Mass.) each finished with two hits in defeat for the Panthers, as did senior Jim VanGyzen (Gloucester, Mass.). Roberti also knocked in a pair of runs, while senior Marc McGinnis (Hanover, Mass.) scored twice.

            Babson jumped out to an early lead with four runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by RBI hits by Evans and sophomore Andrew Aizenstadt (Norwell, Mass.) and a two-run single by Cleary. The Panthers got one run back in the third on an RBI single by sophomore Bryant Lausberg (Somersworth,N.H.), but the Beavers tacked on two more in the bottom of the inning - including one on an RBI double by Cleary - to take a 6-1 lead.

            PSU used two hits and four Babson errors to put up five runs in the top of the fifth, tying the game at 6-6. Roberti had the big hit of the inning- a bases-loaded single through the left side that plated VanGyzen and freshman Mike Cappiello (Westfield, N.J.). Cappiello had driven in a run with a grounder to short, and senior Nick Englert (North Woodstock, N.H.) knocked in another with a fielder's choice.

            After their defensive struggles cost them the lead, the Beavers jumped right back in front with four runs in the bottom of the sixth, capped by a two-out, two-run double by Highfield to the gap in left center to give the hosts a 10-6 cushion. Babson added two more runs in the seventh on back-to-back RBI singles to left by Bartlett and Cleary, and then plated a couple more in the eighth, including one on an RBI double by Evans.

            Babson, 9-4, faces another Little East Conference school on Thursday, playing Keene State College at Govoni Field.  PSU, 3-8, plays a non-conference game Friday at Salem State (3:30 p.m.) before opening the LEC slate Saturday with a doubleheader at Western Connecticut State University (12:00 p.m.) 

(Courtesy of Babson Sports Information)           

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