DUDLEY, Mass. – Senior Tim Elrick (Plymouth, Mass.) laced a two-run triple in the top of the eighth inning to snap a 7-all tie and helped the Wentworth Institute of Technology baseball team salvage a split against Nichols with a 9-7 win over Nichols in the nightcap of a Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader. The Bison staved off a late Leopard comeback in game one, winning 9-8. In that game, senior Tyler Weninger (Chandler, Ariz.) became the program's all-time RBI leader.
GAME ONE: Nichols 9, Wentworth 8
Nichols took a 1-0 lead in its first at bat as senior Nick Roy (Middletown, Conn.) delivered a one-out single and went to second when senior Cam Cook (Phoenixville, Pa.) followed with a single. Both players moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch and sophomore Kyle Bouchard (Fall River, Mass.) plated Roy with a sacrifice fly.
Wentworth answered with a five-run second inning, highlighted by a two-run home run from junior Andrew Elliott (Rockland, Mass.), his first of the season. Junior Anthony de la Cruz (Lynn, Mass.) and sophomore Owen Swanson (New Milford, Conn.) each drove in runs with singles and freshman Aidan French (Chicago, Ill.) had an RBI double. The Bison countered with a pair of runs in the home half of the inning as sophomore Xavier Quinones (Hartford, Conn.) had an RBI groundout and freshman Nathaniel Cormier (Sandsfield, Mass.) reached on an error which scored sophomore Christin Naccari (Ossining, N.Y.).
The hosts took the lead in the top of the fourth, thanks to a fielder's choice which plated two runs by Roy and an RBI groundout by Cook. Nichols made it 9-5 in the sixth inning on a two-run single by Cook and a run-scoring single from Bouchard.
Down to its final at bat Wentworth pulled within a run. De la Cruz led off by reaching on a passed ball on a strikeout and went to second on a Swanson walk. A wild pitch moved both runners up and French plated de la Cruz when he grounded out. Weninger followed with his first home run of the season, a two-run shot, which gave him 97 RBI, breaking the previous career mark of 96 set by Jake Mailman '15. However, a groundout and fly out would allow the Bison to hold on for the 9-8 win.
Sophomore Andrew Charbonneau (Berlin, Conn.) improved to 2-4 on the season as he allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and struck out three in four innings. Senior Kevin Kirley (Clinton, Mass.) earned the save, allowing one run on one hit in an inning of work. Cook was 2-for-4 with three RBI while Cormier, Roy, and senior Chris Anderson (Naugatuck, Conn.) each had a pair of hits.
Sophomore Ryan Obin (Plymouth, Mass.) took the loss (1-5) as he allowed six runs (two earned) on four hits in 3.2 innings of work. Junior Ben Rexford (Lancaster, N.H.) allowed three runs on five hits in 1.1 innings while sophomore Caleb Eaton (East Hampstead, N.H.) pitched one scoreless inning. Swanson and junior Ross Golebiewski (Lyme, Conn.) had two hits apiece for the Black & Gold while French, Weninger, and Elliot each drove in two runs.
GAME TWO: Wentworth 9, Nichols 7 (8)
Anderson drew a one-out walk in the second inning and went to second went to second on a Naccari single. Quinones reached on a fielder's choice which moved Anderson to third and he scored on a balk to give Nichols a 1-0 lead. Wentworth took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning as Swanson delivered a one-out single which moved de la Cruz, who had reached on a fielder's choice, to third. Swanson stole second and an error allowed him to go to third and scored de la Cruz. French brought Swanson in with a sacrifice fly, giving the visitors a 2-1 advantage. Nichols countered with a run in the home half of the inning after Roy, who was hit by a pitch with one out and went to third on a Cook single, scored on a balk.
The Leopards regained the lead in the top of the fourth on an RBI single from senior Bryon Kucharski (East Haven, Conn.). Elliott led off the inning with a walk and went to third on a single from junior Jake Smith (Orange, Conn.). Kucharski's single came with one out and a groundout placed runners on second and third, however, Wentworth was unable to add to its lead after a groundout ended the inning. Nichols scored five times in the bottom of the inning to take a 7-3 lead as Cook had a two-run double and Cormier, Roy, and Bouchard each had run-scoring singles.
Six unanswered Wentworth runs began with a three-run fifth inning which brought the Leopards to within a run at 7-6. French led off with a walk and went to second when Weninger was hit by a pitch. Elrick's single loaded the bases and Elliott followed with a two-run single. After a double play moved Elrick to third, he scored on the back end of a double steal which saw Golebiewski swipe second. The Black & Gold tied the game in the top of the seventh, thanks in part to a pair of Bison miscues. Elliott led off with a single and was lifted for sophomore pinch runner Dan Mitchell (Avon, Mass.). Mitchell stole second on a strikeout, went to third on a throwing error, and scored on a fielding error. Back-to-back strikeouts kept the game tied heading into the home half of the seventh where Quinones was stranded in scoring position.
Swanson led off the eighth inning with a single and went to second on a bunt single by French. Weninger reached on a fielder's choice which moved Swanson to third and stole second, setting the stage for Elrick to break the tie with a two-run triple. With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Cook reached on an error and, with two outs, went to second on a sophomore Christopher Cerniglia (Monroe, N.J.) single. Freshman Nate McDonald (Durham, Conn.) got a fly out to strand both runners and end the game.
McDonald improved to 2-0 on the season as he allowed just one hit in two innings of worl. Freshman Ricky Alexy (Newton, Mass.) allowed five runs on six hits and struck out a pair in his first start, freshman Brendan Winch (Bow, N.H.) allowed a pair of runs on four hits in a third of an inning and Eaton pitched two and a third scoreless innings. Swanson was 3-for-4, while French, Elrick, Elliott, and Kucharski each had two hits. Elrick and Elliott also drove in two runs apiece.
Kirley took the loss (1-1) as he allowed three runs on four hits and struck out five in two innings of work. Cook was 3-for-5 with two RBI.
Wentworth (8-13, 3-5 CCC) hosts Western New England on Sunday morning in a CCC doubleheader beginning at 11:00 a.m.
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