WEYMOUTH, Mass. – Freshman Bennett Leary (Alamo, Calif.) hit a two-strike, two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning to snap a 5-all tie as the Wentworth Institute of Technology baseball team walked off Rivier, 6-5, in the Leopards' 2024 home opener. The win runs the Black & Gold's win streak to five games as Wentworth has doubled its win output from 2023, improving to 8-2 on the season.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Sophomore Devon Lapierre (Dover, N.H.) led off the bottom of the first inning and with one out stole second. With two outs, senior A.T. DiPina singled Lapierre home and took second on the throw. After senior Michael Petit (Sandwich, Mass.) was hit by a pitch, both runners moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch, however, both were stranded in scoring position.
• The Leopards put up four runs in the second to jump out to a 5-0 lead. With the bases loaded, Lapierre walked to make it 2-0, which was followed by junior Jake Prisco (Bridgewater, Mass.), who had an infield single, scoring on a wild pitch. DiPina plated a pair with a two-run single.
• Rivier got on the board in the third inning when junior JD Normand (Skillman, N.H.) reached on an error which scored two runs. The Raiders threatened in the fifth, however stranded two runners in scoring position.
• An inning later, a two-run single from sophomore Dylan Aliberti (Sandown, N.H.) pulled Rivier within a run and, in the seventh inning, senior Frank Gulezian (Derry, N.H.) delivered an RBI single to tie the game at 5-all but left the bases loaded as freshman Nigel Cross (Worcester, Mass.) got a bases-loaded groundout, forcing a runner at the plate, and a strikeout to end the inning.
• The Leopards left a pair of runners in scoring position in both the seventh and eighth innings.
• After the first two runners got on in the top of the ninth, sophomore Connor Whitehead (Southington, Conn.) came in and, after a passed ball put both runners in scoring position, he recorded a strikeout. A walk loaded the bases, however, Whitehead struck out the next two batters.
• Sophomore Matthew Favazzo (Billerica, Mass.) led off the bottom of the ninth with a single. After a pair of flyouts, freshman Christian Roncal (Glendale, Ariz.) singled and Lapierre was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Leary, who had come on to pinch hit in sixth inning and reminded in the game as the designated hitter, came up with the heroic hit, just inside the right field line to score Favazzo.
• Whitehead picks up the win (1-0), striking out three in an inning of work. Junior Brady Aubuchon (Westminster, Mass.) started, allowing a pair of unearned runs on three hits and struck out three in four innings of work. At the plate, DiPina was 4-for-5 with three RBI. Favazzo went 3-for-5, whle Lapierre reached base five times, with two hits, two walks, and a hit by pitch.

ALL-TIME SERIES:

• Wentworth leads the all-time series, 2-0.

NEXT UP:

• A quick turnaround for the Leopards as they head to Elms Thursday afternoon for a single game against the Blazers.

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