Larry Hinkle '10 started for Bates and allowed five runs, but none were earned.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Junior righthander Rich Kosoglow pitched seven strong innings without allowing an earned run and the MIT bats answered with a five-run fourth as the Engineers defeated Bates College, 5-4, at Briggs Field, Monday afternoon. The Bobcats rallied with three runs in the top of the ninth, but Tech was able to close the door with the tying run two bags away.

Both Kosoglow and his Bates counterpart, sophomore lefthander Larry Hinkle (Arlington, Va.) were terrific through the first third of the game. Kosoglow retired the first 10 batters in his start, while Hinkle worked quickly through the MIT order in the first three innings.

The Bobcats (3-14) lit the board for one run in the top of the fourth as junior Brian Buckley (Andover, Mass.) singled home first-year Josh Linscott (Portland, Maine), who reached on an error earlier in the frame.

MIT (11-11) responded with clutch hitting in the bottom of the inning. Senior Jason Witzberger scored the lead run after reaching base on an error to start the inning, while a sacrifice fly by Matt Loper plated David Nole and put the Engineers in front, 2-1. With two down, the Cardinal and Gray put some distance on its NESCAC foe by delivering four straight singles. The last three knocks by Jason Rome, Stewart Park and Steven Nunez, respectively, each scored a run. The Engineers looked poised for an ever bigger offensive assault, but good pitching enabled Bates to get out of the stanza after getting a pop-up with the bases loaded.

After loading the bases again in the fifth with two hits and a walk, the Engineers were unable to score and ended up with just one more hit the rest of the day. Kosoglow (1-1) continued to throw a great game and left after pitching seven innings, allowing no earned runs and three hits while striking out three. Hinkle was solid for Bates as well, and despite the big fourth inning, he left the tilt with no earned runs against after tossing 4 2/3 innings in his first decision of the year.

The Bobcats made things interesting in the ninth after drawing two walks following the first out. An infield error, MIT's second of the game, pushed the first run across the plate while a balk brought home Bates' third run of the game. Linscott doubled in the ensuing at bat to slice the Engineers' advantage to one, but a grounder back to the box thwarted the potential comeback.

Rome, Park, Nunez and Paul Groudas each had two hits for MIT, while junior Brian Mahoney (Sudbury, Mass.) authored the lone two-hit performance for the Bobcats.

Bates plays host to the University of Southern Maine Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.

-- MIT Sports Information

BOX SCORE: MIT 5, Bates 4