NORTHBORO, Mass. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology baseball team saw its win streak run to seven before having iot end as the Leopards and WPI split a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. Wentworth took game one, 7-6, before falling to the Engineers, 7-6, in the nightcap.

GAME ONE:  Wentworth 7, WPI 6

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After a scoreless first inning, Wentworth jumped on the board in the top of the first inning on a home run from senior Michael Petit (Sandwich, Mass.). WPI countered in the home half of the inning after loading the bases and scoring on a double play.
• The third inning saw the Engineers put up five runs to take a 6-1 lead as the hosts had three RBI singles, an RBI double, and a steal of home in the frame. Two runners were stranded in scoring position to end the inning.
• Wentworth put up single runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to cut the lead to 6-3. In the fourth, sophomore Matt McDuff (Riverside, R.I.) struck out but reached first in a wild pitch, stole second, and advanced to third on an error. Senior Christian Peruzzi (Plymouth, Mass.) drove him home with a ground out. In the fifth, freshman Christian Roncal (Glendale, Ariz.) hit a one-out single and moved to second on a junior Jake Prisco (Bridgewater, Mass.) single. Freshman Bennett Leary (Alamo, Calif.) hit a pinch-hit single which brought in Roncal.
• The Leopards tied the game in the sixth inning. Peruzzi led off with a single and went to second on a senior A. T. DiPina (Pawtucket, R.I.) single. With one out, a wild pitch moved both runners up 90 feet and a Petit ground out plated Peruzzi. Roncal reached on an error which scored DiPina, and Prisco drove in Roncal with a single.
• Junior Devon Lapierre (Dover, N.H.) led off the seventh with a single and sophomore Matt Robinson (Mystic, Conn.) grounded out, which loved Lapierre to second. After Peruzzi drew a walk, DiPina reached on a fielder's choice which saw Lapierre forced out at third. Sophomore Matthew Favazzo (Billerica, Mass.) singled in Peruzzi with the go-ahead run.
• With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, WPI put two runners on, however, sophomore Alec Peruzzi (Plymouth, Mass.) got a fly out to end the game.
• Peruzzi pitched the final two innings to improve to 1-0 on the season. He allowed zero runs on two hits and struck out three. At the plate, DiPina and Prisco were each 2-for-4, while Petit had a pair of RBI.

GAME TWO:  WPI 7, Wentworth 6

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Lapierre led off the first inning with a single and went to second on a Leary walk. Peruzzi reached on a fielder's choice, which moved Lapierre to third and he scored as part of a double steal with Peruzzi. WPI countered with a run in the bottom of the first inning, scoring on a sacrifice fly.
• The Engineers pushed three runs across the plate in the third, thanks to a pair of doubles combining to drive in three runs. However, the hosts stranded two in scoring position to end the inning.
• Petit cut the deficit to 4-2 in the fourth inning with his second home run in as many games, while WPI tacked on a single run in the fifth, thanks to an RBI double, pushing the lead back to 5-2.
• Petit brought the Black & Gold within a run (5-4) when he drove in Leary and Peruzzi with a double in the top of the sixth. Leary med off the inning with a single and went to third with a Peruzzi double. In the bottom of the sixth, WPI made it a 6-4 game with an RBI single.
• Using a pair of sacrifice flies, Wentworth tied the game in the top of the seventh. Prisco led off with a walk and went to second on a graduate student Aaron Lundgren (Portsmouth, N.H.) single. Lapierre was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Prisco scored on a sacrifice fly that moved Lundgren to third. Lapierre stole second and Peruzzi walked to load the bases. Petit scored Lundgren with a sacrifice fly, however, the Leopards left two runners on base to end the inning.
• The Engineers took a 7-6 lead in the bottom of the eighth, with a two-out infield single. The hosts left a runner in scoring position to end the inning. Down to its final at bat, DiPina led off with a pinch-hit single and went to second on a Lapierre sacrifice bunt. Leary grounded out, putting DiPina 90 feet away from tying the game, however, a strikeout ended the game.
• Petit was 2-for-3 with four RBI while Lundgren was also 2-for-3. Graduate student Jon Campbell (Snohomish, Wash.) took the loss (1-1), allowing two runs on four hits and striking out three in three innings of relief of senior Brodi Farinas (Lewiston, Maine), who struck outthree over the first five innings.

ALL-TIME SERIES:

• Today marked the 18th and 19th times the two teams have met, with five of these meetings coming over the last two seasons. Seven of the 19 meetings have been decided by one run.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth is at Salem State on Tuesday afternoon.

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