Baseball, Hartford Trade Wins in CNE Twinbill

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Nigel Cross pitched seven strong innings and three student-athletes had a pair of hits apiece as the Wentworth Institute of Technology baseball team used an early lead to pick up a 3-1 victory over the University of Hartford in a Conference of New England contest. In the nightcap, the teams traded places with the Hawks jumping out to an early lead in a 3-1 win.

Wentworth presently sits at 6-13 overall and 2-3 in CNE play while the Hawks are 10-10 (2-1).

GAME ONE:  Wentworth 3, Hartford 1

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Wentworth nearly took a lead in the second inning as A.T. DiPina led off with a double and on a groundout by Christian Roncal, moved to third. However, he was stranded there as the next two batters struck out to end the inning.
• An inning later, the Leopards struck for three runs. With one out, Cyle Archer and Devon Lapierre hit back-to-back singles. Jake Samela hit a ball the ricocheted off the first base bag, which allowed Archer to score and moved Lapierre to second. Matthew Favazzo was hit by a pitch and an infield single by DiPina scored Lapierre loaded the bases. Roncal was hit by a pitch, which brought Samela in and gave Wentworth a 3-0 lead.
• Hartford got a run back in the fourth inning when Jackson Ciccone grounded out, which scored Jake Santiago, who had led off the inning with a single. The Hawks threatened in the sixth, loading the bases with two outs, however, Cross got a fly out to leave the bases loaded and keep it a 3-1 game.
• For the second inning in a row, Hartford loaded the bases with two outs, this time coming in the seventh inning. Brandon Farinas came on in relief of Luke Ryan, who had started the inning, and threw one pitch that resulted in a fly out to end the inning. Farinas got the first two batters in the ninth before surrendering a single and bringing the potential tying run to the plate. However, a groundout ended the game, giving the Black & Gold their second straight win.
• Cross improved to 3-1 on the year, allowing one run on three hits and striking out five in seven innings of work. Ryan pitched two-thirds of an inning, while Farinas earned his first save of the season, yielding just one hit over 1.1 innings of work. Lapierre, DiPina, and Archer each had two hits.

GAME TWO:  Hartford 3, Wentworth 1

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• With two outs in the first inning, Hartford got a single from Alex Popovich and a double from Santiago, putting runners and second and third. Both runners scored on wild pitches, which gave the Hawks a 2-0 lead.
• Wentworth, which went without a baserunner for the first three and two-third innings, mounted a threat in the fourth inning. With two outs, Favazzo became the first Leopard to reach base when he singled and DiPina followed with a walk. However, a groundout ended the Leopards' threat.
• The Hawks had a runner in scoring position with two outs in the fifth inning but Alec Peruzzi got a fly out, which kept the score at 2-0.
• Wentworth got on the board in the sixth inning as Lapierre led off the inning with a single and was out at second when Samela reached on a fielder's choice. A Favazzo groundout moved Samela to second and he went to third on a pitch. After DiPina walked, he went to second when Samela scored on a wild pitch. Roncal walked, putting runners on first and second but a fly out ended the inning.
• Hartford had runners at second and third with two outs in the eighth. Matt Ferrara kept the Hawks off the board when he got a strikeout to end the inning. However, an inning later, Hartford got an RBI single to lead, 3-1.
• Peruzzi was saddled with the loss (0-2), scattering eight hits and allowing two runs over 6.1 innings. He also struck out three. Ferrara pitched 1.2 innings, allowing one hit.

ALL-TIME SERIES:

• The all-time series is tied at 2-all.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth is at Rivier on Wednesday.

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