THE BASICS

-Score: Clark University 8, WPI 3

-Records: Clark University (14-7, NEWMAC 6-2), WPI (10-14, NEWAMC 2-7)

-Location: Worcester, Mass. (Granger Diamond)

-The Lead: Senior Teddy Downing (Cambridge, Mass.) batted 4-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored and junior Dan Shaw (Arlington, Mass.) struck out four in a complete-game effort as Clark completed a NEWMAC West Baseball weekend sweep of WPI Sunday with an 8-3 triumph at Granger Field.

HOW IT HAPPENED

-The first two innings were scoreless. Each side then plated a pair in the third. Sophomore Derek Lefebvre (Groton, Mass.) gave the Cougars a 2-0 lead with a single up the middle. Junior Ryan Tropeano (Pembroke, Mass.) drove in one while another scored on a miscue on the same play as the Engineers tied the game.

-Lefebvre opened the sixth with a solo blast for the 3-2 advantage. Three more crossed the dish in the seventh beginning with an RBI single by Downing. Freshman James Huber (Rochester, N.Y.) drew a bases-loaded walk and sophomore Andrew Thibault (Nashua, N.H.) plated Downing with an infield single.

-Sophomore Dylan Horn (Sterling, Conn.) tripled in a run and quickly came home courtesy of a sac fly off the bat of graduate student Kyle Bonicki (Waterbury, Conn.) for the 8-2 lead in the top of the eighth. WPI junior Josh Herlands (Glastonbury, Conn.) used a productive out to allow classmate Steven Gallagher (Coventry, R.I.) to score in the bottom of the ninth.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

-Horn (triple, 2 runs), Lefebvre (3 RBI) and junior Zach Kelley (Hadley, Mass.), who logged a double, each had two hits for Clark. Horn, Bonicki and Kelley turned an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

-Senior Steven D'Agostino (Worcester, Mass.), working on two days rest, struck out seven in 6 2/3 for WPI. Sophomore Nick Tagaris (New City, N.Y.) fanned one during his shift while classmate Matt Woods (Wilmington, Mass.) retired the side in order in the ninth.

-Junior Benjamin Chaffee (Franklin, Mass.) was the lone Engineer with a pair of hits while Gallagher and senior Evan Lacroix (Methuen, Mass.) each doubled. Tropeano and sophomore Tyrone Patterson (Upper Marlboro, M.D.) each stole a base.

UP NEXT

-WPI (10-14, 2-7) hosts Wheaton and Clark (14-7, 6-2) travels to Emerson for NEWMAC crossover games Tuesday at 3:30pm.