NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. - Despite a three week lay-off, the Bates Baseball team picked up right where it left off, pounding out 15 hits and seven extra-base hits in a 16-8 victory over MIT Monday afternoon at the New England Baseball Complex.

Five different players recorded multi-hit games for the Bobcats (5-2), led by Senior Nate Pajka (Douglas, Mass.), who was 3-5 with two doubles, a pair of RBI's, and three runs scored. Sophomore Brendan Fox (West Hartford, Conn.) was 2-4 with three RBI's and two walks, while juniors Conor Reenstierna (Lincoln, Mass.) and Samuel Warren (Norfolk, Va.) each had two hits and two RBI's. Senior Mekae Hyde (Lewiston, Maine) also had two knocks and three runs scored for Bates.

The Bobcats jumped on Engineers starting pitcher Nicholas Locascio for seven runs in the top half of the second. Reeinstierna laced a one out double to left center, chasing home Fox and Sam Berry (South Hamilton, Mass), who walked to start the inning, and advanced to third on the throw to the plate. Senior Rockwell Jackson (Fort Worth, Tex) lifted a sacrifice fly to center, plating Reeinsteirna and giving Bates the 3-0 lead.

The frame continued with walks to Warren and Hyde that loaded the bases for Pajka, whose single to center brought home Warren. Junior Evan Czopek (Portland, Ore.) kept the inning alive on an error by the MIT third baseman, allowing Patjka and Hyde to score. Fox doubled to left-center, bringing home Czopek and giving Bates a 7-0 lead.

The Bobcats added a pair of runs in the fourth, when Czopeck ripped a double to center field to score Hyde, who was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Pajka, who reached on a free pass, scored one batter later on a wild pitch.

The Engineers added five runs in the fifth and six innings, cutting the lead to 9-6. The Bobcats answered with four runs on five hits in the top of the seventh, highlighted by a two run triple from Sam Warren, to put the game away.

Eight different pitchers toed the rubber for Bates, combining for nine strikeouts while issuing eight free passes. Senior Will Levangie (Frederick, Md.) started the game and tossed two scoreless innings, while senior lefty Aidan Sullivan (Yarmouth, Maine) gave up one run in one inning of work to pick up the win.  

The Bobcats next travel to Husson University for a single game on March 21 at noon.