AUBURNDALE, Florida – Scoring 32 runs on 33 hits, the Wentworth Institute of Technology baseball team opened the 2022 season in fine fashion, sweeping Martin Luther, 15-0 and 17-0.
Wentworth 15, Martin Luther 0
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Wentworth Batting Leaders: Aidan French (3-for-5, 1 2B), Justin Kirst (3-for-3, three runs scored, three RBI), Kyle Desjardins (2-for-3, two runs scored)
Wentworth Pitching Leaders: Brandon Sullivan (W, 1-0) 5 IP, two hits, eight strikeouts
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Leopards wasted little time, getting on the board, scoring three times in the first inning. Graduate student Aidan French (Chicago, Ill.) led off with a single and went to second on a senior Nolan Freeman (Braintree, Mass.) walk. French came around to score when Freeman was safe at second on an error on a double-play attempt. A double steal sent Freeman across and sophomore Christian Peruzzi (Plymouth, Mass.) to second and he eventually went to third on a flyout before coming home on a senior Kyle Desjardins (North Granby, Conn.) sacrifice fly.
- Martin Luther threatened in the top of the second when Zach Clement reached on a two-out walk and Caleb Heckendorf followed with a double where Clement tried to score byt was thrown out at the plate.
- Wentworth put up six in the bottom of the third, with Peruzzi stealing home, senior Nolan McManus (Milton, Mass.) scoring on an error, junior Justin Kirst scoring on a Freeman sacrifice fly, and senior Matt Masciadrelli (Westfield, Mass.) scoring on an error. The Black & Gold added four more an inning later, two of which came on an RBI double from Kirst.
- The Leopards rounded out the scoring in the sixth, with senior Kyle O'Neill (Haverhill, Mass.) delivering a two-run single.
- Junior Brandon Sullivan allowed just two hits and walked three while striking out eight. At the plate, French and Kirst each had a pair of hits with Kirst driving in three. Desjardins had a pair of hits, scored twice, and drove in a run.
Wentworth 17, Martin Luther 0
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Wentworth Batting Leaders: Kyle O'Neill (3-for-6, two doubles, home run), Ayrton DiPina (3-for-3), Matt Rice (3-for-4)
Wentworth Pitching Leaders: Brodi Farinas (W, 1-0), five innings, three hits, eight strikeouts, Zach Gagnon, 2.0 innings, one strikeout.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Wentworth picked up where it left off in game one, scoring twice in the first inning. French led off being hit by a pitch, stole second, and move to third on a flyout. From there, he scored on a wild pitch. O'Neill followed with a home run, making it 2-0. The Leopards added three in the second when Freeman drew a bases-loaded walk, O'Neil drove in a run reaching on a fielder's choice, and French scored on a wild pitch.
- Masciadrelli' s sacrifice fly in the top of the third started a four-run inning, which also featured a two-run double from Peruzzi, and an RBI single from sophomore Ayrton DiPina (Pawtucket, R.I.). Wentworth scored four more in both the fourth and fifth innings to break the game open. In the fourth inning, French had an RBI double, Freeman added a RBI triple, Peruzzi drove in a run with a groundout, and DiPina had an RBI triple.
- Sophomore Matt Rice (Scottsdale, Ariz.) scored on a wild pitch with one out in the fifth and, with two outs sophomore Ryan Putney (Exeter, N.H.) drove in a run with a single. Desjardins drove in two more with a two-out double to complete the scoring.
- Sophomore Brodi Farinas (Lewiston, Maine) picked up the win (1-0), allowing just two hits and striking out eight in five innings. O'Neill was 3-for-6 with two double and a home run, while DiPina and Rice each had three hits. Desjardins was 2-for-2 with two RBI and also walked twice and was hit by a pitch.
ALL-TIME SERIES:
- Wentworth leads the series 4-0.
NEXT UP:
- The Leopards face Vassar in a doubleheader Monday at 3:30 p.m..
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