MIT Runs Win Streak to Seven With 10-3 Victory Over Worcester State

Sophomore Austin Filiere...Photo is credited to DSPics.com

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – MIT scored 10 times, four coming on a grand slam by sophomore Austin Filiere (Chandler, Ariz.), on its way to a 10-3 win over Worcester State University in non-conference baseball action on O'Brien Field. The Engineers ran their win streak to seven and have scored 10 or more run in each of those victories.

MIT (11-8) picked up a pair in the first when a single and error put two aboard for Filiere who brought home the first run of the game with a single to left. Two batters later Filiere scored on a sac fly by senior Nate Rodman (Corvallis, Ore.) to make it 2-0.

In the second a one-out walk, an error and a bunt base hit by sophomore Garrett Greenwood
(Edmond, Okla.) loaded the bases for Filiere. He lofted a fly deep to left that bounced off the top of the fence and over for his fifth home run of the season and an 6-0 MIT lead.

That was more than enough run support for the MIT pitching staff, which held Worcester State (10-14) to just three runs on six hits. Freshmen Nick Charchut (Santa Monica, Calif.) and Jack Murphy (Pleasanton, Calif.) both tossed a pair of scoreless innings, with classmates Travis Hank (Chicago, Ill.) and Patrick Callahan (Vicksburg, Mich.) each blanking the Lancers in their inning of work.

Worcester State did get on the board in the third against senior Alan Wang (Paoli, Pa.). A pair of walks sandwiched around a single loaded the bases with no outs. The Lancers pushed across their first run when freshman George Bielizna (Danbury, Conn.) hit into a fielder's choice. A wild pitch then allowed junior Jake Ryan (Northbridge, Mass.) to score. Wang avoided any further damage by getting a fly out and a foul pop out to end the inning.

MIT added two more in the fifth when senior Alec Echevarria (Chula Vista, Calif.) followed a leadoff double from Filiere with an RBI single. He then eventually came in to score on a sac fly by sophomore Max Lancaster (Attleboro, Mass.).

Lancaster added the final two runs to MIT's total with a two-run single with the bases loaded in the seventh. Worcester State plated their final run in the ninth with two down, getting a pair aboard for Bielizna who drove a pitch into center for an RBI single.

Wang was the winner for MIT, finishing with two innings of work and giving up the two runs on one hit. Sophomore Matt Irzyk (Westfield, Mass.) started for Worcester State and took the loss, going five innings and giving up eight runs, four earned, on nine hits.

Filiere finished the day with a 4-for-5 line with two doubles and the home run, driving in five and scoring four times. Lancaster drove in three for the Engineers, going 1-for-3 on the day. Bielizna led Worcester State with his 2-for-4 performance, driving in a pair for the Lancers.