WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Freshman Paul Dassau (Franklin, Mass.) squeezed home senior Mike Diodato (Asbury, N.J.) with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning as Wentworth rallied to edge Fitchburg State, 9-8, to earn a split in a non-league doubleheader at Chain O Lakes Park.  The Falcons took the first game of the afternoon by a 3-1 score.

The Leopards had a chance to get on the board in the top of the first inning, but would have a runner thrown out at the plate and would eventually leave the bases loaded.

After three scoreless innings Wentworth broke the ice in the top of the fourth inning when senior Jake McManus (Hopkinton, N.H.) led off the inning by reaching on an error.  After being sacrificed to second by sophomore Ryan Delgado (Wareham, Mass.), Dassau ripped a double to center to score McManus.

In the home half of the fifth inning Fitchburg scored three runs to take the lead for good, highlighted by a two-run double off the bat of senior Dave Alexander (Torrington, Conn.).  Alexander's hit, which gave the Falcons a 3-1 lead came after senior Erik DiMauro (Foxboro, Mass.) singled to score senior John Phelan (Walpole, Mass.), who got things started with a one-out double.

The Leopards would get the leadoff batter aboard in the sixth and seventh innings, but Fitchburg State turned a double play in each of the last two innings to end the threats.

Junior Michal Mercier (Townsend, Mass.) picked up the win (1-0), allowing one unearned run on six hits over six innings.  Senior Marshall Miller (Greenfield, Mass.) pitched a scoreless seventh to pick up his first save of 2011.  Freshman David Mason (Leominster, Mass.) had an impressive debut, going 3-for-3, while Phelan added a pair of hits.

Sophomore Ryan DeCotis (Nashua, N.H.) took the loss (0-2) for the Leopards, allowing three runs on seven hits with three strikeouts in four innings of relief.  Junior Kyle Cruz (Burlington, Mass.) pitched the first two innings, allowing zero runs on two hits and striking out three.  At the plate junior Conner Flisnik (Marcy, N.Y.) and senior Doug Papuga (Branford, Conn.) each had two hits.  Flisnik's seventh inning single made him the 15^th player in program history to record 100 or more hits.

Wentworth struck for three runs in the bottom of the first inning of the nightcap, thanks in part to three Falcon errors.  Papuga would drive in senior Matt Jordan (Concord, N.H.), who led off with a walk, Flisnik, who reached on an error on a sacrifice attempt, would score when senior Ben Danker (Branford, Conn.) reached on a fielder's choice, and Papuga would come around to score on an RBI single from McManus.

Fitchburg State got on the board in the top of the when junior Frank Yavorosky (Westminster, Mass.) scored on an RBI groundout from Nick Rocheleau (Leominster, Mass.).  However, Wentworth took a 4-1 lead in the home half of the inning when Flisnik doubled home Delgado, who had led off the inning with a single.

In the top of the fifth inning, Fitchburg pulled within a run, thanks to a three-run inning.  Mason led off with a walk and went to second on a senior Brian Ware (Beverly, Mass.) single.  With Ware caught in a rundown between first and second, Mason would go to third and eventually score.  Phelan and sophomore Jeff Boice (Glastonbury, Conn.) each added RBI singles.

After holding the Leopards scoreless in the fifth inning, the Falcons used a four-run sixth inning to take an 8-5 lead.  Mason delivered an RBI double down the left field line, which scored sophomore Cody Bamforth (Vernon, Conn.) to tie the game before Phelan delivered a two-run double to give Fitchburg State the lead.  Rochelau plated Phelan with a single to round out the scoring in the inning.

Wentworth pulled within a run in the bottom of the inning when sophomore Jeff Crawford (Westfield, Mass.) led off with a single and went to second on a Delgado single.  Both players moved into scoring position when Dassau sacrificed them over.  Delgado would score on a wild pitch before Flisnik hit a double to left center to score Crawford.

Danker led off the home half of the seventh with a four-pitch walk and, after an out, Diodato doubled to right, scoring freshman Jon Spitz (Hanover, Mass.), who pinch ran for Danker.  After Crawford walked, Delgado singled to right center to load the bases.  On an 0-1 pitch, Dassau tapped a bunt back to the mound with Diodato breaking for home.  The throw was late giving the Leopards the victory.

Freshman Ben Lewis (Middletown, R.I.) picked up his first collegiate win (1-0), allowing zero runs on two hits and striking out four in an inning and a third of work.  He had come on in relief of sophomore Alex Wong (Lewiston, Maine) who allowed eight runs on 11 hits in 5.2 innings.  Delgado went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Flisnik and McManus each added two hits apiece.  Flisnik, whose hits were both doubles, also drove in two runs.

Sophomore John Chase (Glastonbury, Conn.) took the loss (0-1), allowing two runs on two hits in a third of an inning.  Sophomore Alex Teal (Malden, Mass.) started for the Falcons, allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits with five strikeouts in five-plus innings.  Miller pitched one inning, yielding one hit.  Phelan was 3-for-4 with three RBI, while Rocheleau, Yavorosky, and sophomore Matt Zajac (New Hartford, Conn.) also had multiple-hit games.

Wentworth finishes its spring trip with a 5-4 record and opens the northern part of its schedule Wednesday (March 16) at MIT.  Fitchburg State opens its spring trip with a 1-1 record and faces Endicott tomorrow.