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March 25, 2008
BABSON PARK, Mass. - Sophomore Brian Scanlon (Lawrenceville, N.J.) drove in the game-winning run with a fielder's choice in the bottom of the 11th inning as Babson College edged visiting Suffolk University, 2-1, in a non-conference baseball tilt at Govoni Field on Tuesday afternoon. Senior John Hudspeth (Mount Laurel, N.J.) pitched 4 2/3 shutout innings of relief to earn the victory for the Beavers, who improved to 8-4 with their second straight win. Babson grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second against junior starter Reid Jackson (Burlington, Mass.), who issues back-to-back walks to junior Bryan Evans (Bellaire, Texas) and Scanlon to start the inning. Sophomore Jake Bartlett (Weymouth, Mass.) then sacrificed both runners into scoring position, and sophomore Peter O'Toole (Salem, Mass.) followed with an RBI single to left to give the hosts an early lead. The score remained 1-0 until the top of the seventh, when the Rams finally broke through against junior starter Pete Bizinkauskas (Duxbury, Mass.). Senior Matt Shanahan (Winchester, Mass.) led off with a pinch-hit single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Chris Barber (Falmouth, Mass.). Sophomore Rory Gentile (Gloucester, Mass.) then followed with an RBI-single up the middle, tying the game and snapping a 15-inning scoreless streak for Babson's pitching staff. Bizinkauskas would then leave the game after an outstanding start, as he went 6 1/3 innings while allowing just one run on eight hits.
Both team's bullpens were brilliant in the contest, as Suffolk senior Steve Durant (Malden, Mass.) came on for Jackson in the fourth and tossed four shutout innings, striking out five. Meanwhile, Hudspeth was equally dominant for Babson, fanning six Rams batters while surrendering just one hit in 4 2/3 scoreless innings. The Beavers' righthander also received some defensive help in the top of the 10th, as Bartlett made a fantastic backhanded stop at third on a shot down the line off the bat of junior Nick Carter (Newburyport, Mass.). The sophomore standout then made the long throw across the diamond for the inning's final out, stranding the potential go-ahead run at second. After three more scoreless innings of relief by Suffolk junior Dan Delia (Boston, Mass.), Babson finally put the game away with an unearned run off the Rams' righthander in the 11th. After senior co-captain Matt Delaney (Newton, Mass.) reached on an error with one out, sophomore pinch hitter Dave Ahern (Bedford, Mass.) singled down the left field line and took second on the throw as Delaney slid into third. The Rams then intentionally walked Evans to load the bases and set up a potential inning-ending double play - a move that appeared to pay off when Scanlon hit a grounder to second. However, Evans went hard into second to disrupt the slow-developing play, and that forced sophomore shortstop Jose Alejandro's (Lowell, Mass.) throw wide as Scanlon reached on the game-ending fielder's choice. Carter was the only player on either side with multiple hits, as he finished 2-for-5. All 14 hits in the game - nine by Suffolk and five by Babson - where singles as both pitching staffs turned in stellar performances. The victory was the first of the season for Hudspeth (1-0), while Delia suffered the tough-luck loss to drop to 1-2. |
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