Big Innings Lift Babson to 13-6 Win Over Western New England

Loparco posts third four-hit effort of the season

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 30, 2018) – Babson College scored multiple runs in four separate innings on its way to a 13-6 win over Western New England University on Monday afternoon in non-conference baseball action at Trelease Park.

Top Performers
• Junior shortstop Alex Loparco (Riverside, Conn.) led the Golden Bears with a 4-for-5 effort at the plate, as he drove in one run and scored one as well.
• Sophomore outfielder Jamie Schofield (Darien, Conn.) walked three times and scored two runs, while junior outfielder Erik Lacaire (Worcester, Mass.) and sophomore second baseman Kevin Johnson (Waterford, Conn.) both doubled and drove in one run.

• Babson senior Mark Webber (Norwell, Mass.) posted a 3-for-4 effort with a walk, a double, one RBI and two runs scored.
• Senior Ryan Arena (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) went 2-for-6 with two RBI and two runs, while junior Edward Lehr (Byram Township, N.J.) tripled, walked three times and scored three runs.

Game Review
After falling behind 2-0 in the top of the first inning, the Golden Bears answered with three runs in the bottom half of the frame.

Schofield led off with a walk, and Loparco followed with a single before Lacaire got Western New England on the board with an RBI double to left field. Following an RBI groundout by junior Joe Cassella (Wallingford, Conn.), Lacaire scored from third on a passed ball.

Babson took the lead for good (6-3) with four runs in the top of the second, however. Sophomore Jake Oliger (Newtown, Conn.) led off with a single and eventually scored on a passed ball, while Arena added an RBI single and sophomore Sean Harrington (Walpole, Mass.) drew a walk with the bases loaded. Sophomore Matthew Valente (Wyckoff, N.J.) capped the Beavers' four-run frame with a sacrifice fly, which scored Arena from third.

Loparco cut Western New England's deficit to two (6-4) with an RBI double to right center in the bottom of the second, and neither team scored in the third or fourth innings.

Babson added to its advantage with four more runs in the top of the fifth to open up a 10-4 cushion. Oliger walked, stole second and scored on a Western New England error, before Lehr ripped an RBI triple to right field. Arena and Webber both produced RBI singles later in the frame as well.

The Golden Bears got two runs back in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single by freshman Jake Balderston (Hadley, Mass.) and an RBI double off the bat of Johnson, but Babson scored three times in the eighth to extend the final margin to seven.

Notes
• The Golden Bears and Beavers recorded nine hits each, while Western New England committed four errors and Babson had three.
• Western New England used nine pitchers in the contest, including freshman right-hander Michael Burgess (Abington, Mass.), who made his collegiate debut.
• Loparco recorded four hits for the third time this season and first since March 18 in a 13-5 loss to Clarkson in Florida. 

Up Next
Western New England (26-12) travels to UMass Boston for its regular season finale on Wednesday, while Babson (27-10) hits the road again on Tuesday for a contest at Salem State.