Offense Carries Baseball in Win Over Salem State

SALEM, Mass. – Freshman Mike Sibert (Billerica, Mass.) and junior Christian Peruzzi (Plymouth, Mass.) each recorded three hits as the Wentworth Institute of Technology baseball team defeated Salem State, 11-7, in non-conference action Monday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After a scoreless first inning, Wentworth took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. With two out, freshman Matt Robinson (Mystic, Conn.) reached on an error. Classmate Matthew Favazzo (Lexington, Mass.) walked, moving Robinson to second. Senior Brandon Sullivan (Quincy, Mass.) singled in Robinson and moved Favazzo to third. Sullivan stole second, however, both runners were stranded in scoring position after a flyout.
• Sibert led off the second inning with a single and moved to second. He went to third on a freshman Nick Cullinan (Sandy Hook, Conn.) groundout. Sibert came in to score on a single from Peruzzi. Peruzzi went to second when graduate student Nolan McManus (Milton, Mass.) reached on an error and moved to third when junior A.T. DiPina reached on a fielder's choice. He came around to score on an RBI single from Robinson, giving the Leopards a 3-0 lead.
• Salem State scored three times in the bottom of the third with sophomore Bobby Jellison (Salem, Mass.) producing an RBI double, junior Jake Boucher (Wallingford, Conn.) driving in a run with a sacrifice fly, and graduate student Brahiam Ortega (Lawrence, Mass.) hitting a home run. With two out and runners on first and second, an error loaded the bases. Sophomore Brady Aubuchon (Westminster, Mass.) came in and got a flyout to lead the game tied at 3-all.
• The Black & Gold reclaimed the lead in the top of the fourth, as Sullivan doubled and, on a groundout by sophomore Jake Prisco (Bridgewater, Mass.), moved to third. Sibert followed with single in the gap, scoring Sullivan. The following inning, Wentworth scored three times. Back-to-back singles by Peruzzi and McManus put runners on first and second and a single by DiPina plated Peruzzi and moved McManus to third. Robinson scored McManus on a sacrifice fly and Favazzo singled in DiPina.
• Wentworth added three in the sixth to take a 10-3 lead. With two outs, Cullinan reached on an error and went to second when Peruzzi walked. McManus followed with a single, scoring Cullinan and moved Peruzzi to second. DiPina followed with a two-run double, which scored both Peruzzi and McManus.
• The Viking shaved two runs off the lead in the bottom of the inning, as, with one out and runners on first and third, a wild pitch allowed a run to score, and Boucher had an RBI single.
• In the eighth, Peruzzi led off with a single, went to second on an error, and scored on a Favazzo single to make it 11-5. Salem got a run back on an RBI single from Boucher to make it 11-6 after eight.
• Ortega led off the ninth with a home run before junior Conor Dolan (Rockland, Mass.) walked, and with two out, went to second on a passed ball. He was stranded there when sophomore Matt Ferrara (East Taunton, Mass.), who came on to start the ninth, got a game-ending pop out.
• In addition to Sibert and Peruzzi recording three hits apiece, DiPina, Favazzo, Sullivan, and McManus each had two, DiPina drove in three runs, while Favazzo and Robinson each drove in a pair. Aubuchon picks up the win (2-3), allowing two runs on three hits in 3.1 innings. Junior Clayton Harper (Somerset, Mass.) pitched the first two, striking out a pair in 2.2 innings. Freshman Alec Peruzzi (Plymouth Mass.) allowed one run on three hits in two innings,w hiel Ferrara allowed one run and struck out one in the ninth.

ALL-TIME SERIES:

• Today was ninth all-time meeting between the two teams and the first since the 1999 season.

NEXT UP:

• Winners of two of their last three contests, the Leopards are at Endicott on Saturday.

For the latest on Wentworth Athletics, follow the Leopards via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Wentworth Leopards "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.