BOX SCORE

BABSON PARK, Mass. - Babson College snapped a 6-6 tie with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning en route to a 14-6 victory over visiting Plymouth State University in a non-conference baseball contest at Babson's Govoni Field on Wednesday afternoon. With the win, the Beavers upped their record on 9-4 on the year, while the Panthers slipped to 3-8.

Junior Keane Steiding (Falmouth, Mass.) picked up the win in relief for Babson, tossing 2 2/3 scoreless innings to improve to 1-0 on the season. First-year Jeff Burress (Cumberland, R.I.) started and 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. First-year Billy Miller (Sagamore Beach, Mass.) also added a scoreless ninth for Babson.

Plymouth State rookie Bobby Chatfield (Sharon, Conn.) started and went four innings, allowing six runs on five hits in the no decision. Sophomore Mike Moody (Manchester, N.H.) picked up the loss in relief for the Panthers, who sent five different pitchers to the mound in the contest.

Offensive, first-year Sean Cleary (Milton, Mass.) had a huge day for Babson, going 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and four RBIs. Senior co-captain 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.

Senior captains 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 on an RBI single by sophomore Bryant Lausberg (Somersworth,N.H.) in the third, 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. 

Plymouth State 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 for the Panthers - a bases-loaded single through the left side that plated VanGyzen and first-year Mike Cappiello (Westfield, N.J.). Cappiello had driven in a run with a grounder to short earlier in the inning, and senior Nick Englert (North Woodstock, N.H.) knocked in another with a fielder's choice later in the frame.

After their defensive struggles cost them the lead, the Beavers jumped right back in front with four runs in the bottom of the sixth. First-year Keith Jonasson (Needham, Mass.) got things started with a one-out walk and later scored on an RBI single to right by Evans. Bartlett followed with an RBI double to right center, and three batters later, Highfield laced a two-out, two-run double to the gap in left center to give the hosts a 10-6 cushion.

Babson added two more runs on back-to-back RBI singles to left by Bartlett and Cleary in the seventh, and then plated a couple more in the eighth, including one on an RBI double by Evans, to finish off the 14-6 win.