FITCHBURG, Mass. – Sophomore Tim Elrick (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) rapped out four hits and junior Aaron Denis (Dover, N.H.) picked up his second straight win on the mound as the Wentworth Institute of Technology baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Fitchburg State. The leopards took game one by a 5-4 final while the Falcons earned the split with a 9-7 win in the nightcap.

GAME ONE:  Wentworth 5, Fitchburg State 4
Trailing 2-1 entering the seventh inning, the Leopards scored four times in the top of the seventh then held on for the 5-4 win.

After a scoreless first two innings, Wentworth broke the ice with a run in the top of the third inning when Elrick doubled in freshman Ross Golebiewski (Lyme, Conn.) with two outs. Golebiewski had led off the inning by reaching on a two-base error.

The game remained 1-0 in favor of the Leopards until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Falcons plated a pair of runs to take a 2-1 lead. Junior Steven Drury (Leominster, Mass.) led off with a walk and came around to score on a senior Robert Lewis (Palm Coast, Fla.) double. Lewis went to third on a wild pitch and came home on a groundout by freshman Riley Shea (Centerville, Mass.). The next batter reached on a two-base error, and with one out, senior Roel Fernandez (Cape Coral, Fla.) walked. However, Denis induced a groundout to end the inning.

Wentworth scored four times in the top of the seventh with the big blow coming on a bases-loaded double from sophomore Tyler Weninger (Chandler, Ariz.). Golebiewski led off with a single, however was retired on a fielder's choice which put freshman Matt Smith (Horseheads, N.Y.) on first. Junior Christian Ferri (Bloomfield, N.J.) singles and a pinch-hit single from senior Sam McManus (Hopkinton, N.H.) loaded the bases and set the stage for Weninger's go-ahead hit. Weninger would move to third on a groundout, and, after senior Johnny Ryan (Brandt Rock, Mass.) walked and stole second, junior Jimmy Temte (Northbrough, Mass.) singled in Weninger.

Sophomore Nathan Littman (Abington, Mass.) drew a leadoff walk and scored on a senior Brendan Cutler (Clinton, Mass.) double. A groundout moved Cutler to third and he scored on a pinch-hit single from sophomore Luis Ortiz (Lawrence, Mass.). Senior Corey Jerolmon (New Milford, Conn.) came in to relieve Denis, and, after a wild pitch, a groundout moved Ortiz – the tying run – to third. However, Jerolmon got a strikeout to end the game.

Denis improved to 2-2 on the season as he went 6.1 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and striking out seven. Jerolmon picked up his first save of the season with a two-thirds of an inning, one strikeout performance. Weninger was 2-for-4 with three RBI while Golebiewski also had a pair of hits.

Sophomore Tommy Parsons (Peabody, Mass.) took the loss (2-2) as he allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits and struck out eight in 6.1 innings. Drury had two hits for Fitchburg State.

GAME TWO:  Fitchburg State 9, Wentworth 7
Wentworth took advantage of a pair of Fitchburg State miscues in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. Ferri led off the game by reaching on an error and went to second on an infield hit from Elrick which also moved Ferri to third on an error. A double steal saw Ferri swipe home with the first run of the game.

In the bottom of the inning Fitchburg State took the lead for good when the Falcons scored six times to take a 6-1 lead. Littman led off with a double and scored on a Cutler single. Drury moved Cutler up 90 feet with a single and Lewis reached on an error to load the bases. A sacrifice fly from Shea scored Cutler and junior Mike St. John (Rehoboth, Mass.) and sophomore Drew Mazzeo (Leicester, Mass.) followed with RBI singles to make it 4-1. Freshman Viachini Pujols (Dorchester, Mass.) drove in St. John with a sacrifice fly and Mazzeo scored on a wild pitch.

Wentworth pulled within a pair in the top of the second. With one out sophomore Bryon Kucharski (East Haven, Conn.) reached on an error, which was followed by Smith reaching on an error. Ferri singled to load the bases and Elrick was hit by a pitch to score Kucharski. Weninger drove in Smith with a sacrifice fly, which also mloved Ferri to third and Ferri would steal home to make it 6-4.

In the fourth inning Kucharski drew a leadoff walk and went to second on a Smith single. With one out, both players moved up a base on a wild pitch and Elrick walked to load the bases. With two outs, junior Jordan Burst (Jackson, N.J.) walked to drive in Kucharski, however a groundout ended the inning. Fitchburg State tacked on a pair of runs in the home half of the inning on a sacrifice fly from Lewis and a single from Shea to make it 8-4.

Ferri led off the sixth inning with a single and went to second on Elrick's single. Weninger reached on an error, which also retired Elrick, and a Burst single through the right side plated Ferri. Temte drew a two-out walk to load the bases but sophomore Andrew Mooney (Framingham, Mass.) was summoned from the bullpen and got a groundout to end the threat.

The home half of the sixth saw the Falcons take a 9-6 lead as Littman led off with a bunt single and with one out steal second. Drury would reach on an error which scored Littman.

Down to its last at-bat, Wentworth got a pinch-hit walk from McManus to start the inning and a single from Smith. However, a double play erased Smith and move freshman pinch runner Anthony de la Cruz (Lynn, Mass.) to third. De la Cruz scored on a single from Elrick to make it 9-7 but a pop up ended the game.

Senior Javier Lozada (New Bedford, Mass.) picked up the win (1-0) as he allowed six runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out three in 5.1 innings of work. Littman, Cutler, and Fernandez had a pair of hits each and Shea drove in two runs.

Weninger took the loss (0-4) allowing nine runs (five earned) on 11 hits and striking out three. Elrick was 3-for-3 with a walk, while Ferri and Smith had two hits each and Burst drove in a pair. Elrick and Ferri swiped two stolen bases apiece.

Wentworth sits at 5-9 and is at Becker on Monday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.