AUBURNDALE, Fla. – A six-run bottom of the fifth inning erased a 5-4 deficit and helped the Wittenberg College baseball team defeat Wentworth Institute of Technology, 11-5, in the second game of a doubleheader played at Lake Myrtle Sports Park. The Tigers earned the split after the Leopards took a 12-7 win in the first game.

In the opening game, Wentworth took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when sophomore Jordan Burst (Jackson, N.J.) singled home classmate Christian Ferri (Bloomfield, N.J.). Wittenberg took a 3-1 lead in the top of the second when sophomore Trent Champlin (Gahanna, Ohio) had an RBI double and came around to score on a freshman Erik Olson (Chicago, Ill.) home run.

Wentworth re-claimed the lead in the home half of the inning when senior Anthony Matera (Trumbull, Conn.) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, junior Sam McManus (Hopkinton, N.H.) scored when Ferri reached on a fielder's choice, and senior Joe Hulme (Tewksbury, Mass.) hit a sacrifice fly which sored sophomore Jimmy Temte (Northborough, Mass.). The Leopards added a single run in the third on an RBI single off the bat of Temte.

The Tigers cut the lead to 5-4 in the top of the fourth on an RBI single from senior Zac Wilson (Eaton, Ohio), however the Leopards made it a three-run game in the home half of the inning on a two-run single from freshman Tyler Weninger (Chandler, Ariz.). Wittenberg used two runs in the top of the fifth to cut the gap to 7-6 on a two-run single by freshman Timmy Bates (Westerville, Ohio) before the Leopards scored three times in the home half of the inning as McManus scored when Ferri reached on an error and came into score on a triple by Hulme, and Ferri scored on an RBI single from senior Jake Mailman (Medway, Mass.).

Wittenberg pulled within three (10-7) when Olson scored after Eli Gooslby-Broschart reached on an error in the top of the sixth, however a two-run single from Matera in the bottom of the inning put the game out of reach.

Sophomore Aaron Denis (Dover, N.H.) improved to 2-0 on the season after allowing seven runs (three earned) on 10 hits and striking out five in six innings of work. Senior Justin Voytek (New Milford, Conn.) pitched a perfect seventh, striking out one. Offensively, Weninger was 3-for-4while McManus and senior Scott Ouellette (Lewiston, Maine) each had two hits. Matera drove in three runs and Hulme had two RBI.

Wilson, Olson, and sophomore Corey Farnbauch (Hilliard, Ohio) had two hits for the Tigers. Senior Mike Burgher (Birmingham, Mich.) was tagged with the loss after allowing 10 runs (three earned) on nine hits in 4.2 innings of work.

Wittenberg plated two runs in the bottom of the first as Wilson scored when sophomore Dalton Boucher (Granville, Ohio) reached on an error and junior Will Cousins (Medfield, Mass.) delivered a sacrifice fly to score sophomore Cal Slusarz (Chesterland, Ohio).

The Leopards tied the game in the top of the second without recording a hit as the leopards drew three walks in the inning. Freshman Bram Grooten (Eindhoven, Netherlands) reached on a fielder's choice and an error scored Ouellette and Weninger.

In the top of the third, Wittenberg took a 4-2 lead on RBI singles from Olson and Wilson and the game would remain 4-2 until the fifth inning. Grooten hit a double and Mailman and Burst drew back to back two-out walks which chased senior starter Frank Sullivan (Milford, Ohio). Senior Stu Haley was summoned and Weninger hit a fly ball to the outfield, which was dropped to clear the bases and give Wentworth a 5-4 lead.

The Tigers took the lead for good in the fifth inning, using five RBI singles and a wild pitch to go ahead by a 10-5 score and would add one more in the sixth to round out the scoring.

Haley allowed just three hits and struck out five of the 11 batters he faced in 2.1 innings of work. Sophomore Josh Kaplan (Northbrook, Ill.) had three hits for the Tigers (3-3) who also had five players record two hits apiece.

Sophomore Paul Vergara (Needham, Mass.) was tagged with the loss (1-1), allowing seven runs (five earned) on eight hits in four-plus innings of work. Five different players recorded hits for the Black & Gold (5-3) who wrap up their spring break trip Saturday morning with a doubleheader against Colby-Sawyer.