Posted: Apr 06, 2024
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology baseball team split a pair of one-run contests against the University of Hartford on Saturday. The Leopards won game one, 5-4, while the Hawks prevailed in the nightcap, 3-2.
GAME ONE: Wentworth 5, Hartford 4
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Hartford took a 1-0 lead with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning and added a second run on a one-out, RBI single.
- Wentworth sliced the lead in half in the top of the second inning on an RBI double from sophomore Matt Robinson (Mystic, Conn.). Sophomore Matthew Favazzo (Billerica, Mass.) led off with a walk and went to second when senior Michael Petit (Sandwich, Mass.) grounded out. He moved 90 feet closer on a fly out from junior Jake Prisco (Bridgewater, Mass.) before Robinson's double brought him home.
- The Leopards tied the game in the fourth inning on an RBI single from Favazzo. Senior A. T. DiPina (Pawtucket, R.I.) led off with a double before Favazzo's double sent him home.
- Wentworth scored three times in the sixth to take a 5-2 lead. Senior Christian Peruzzi (Plymouth, Mass.) led off with a single and went to third on a DiPina single. DiPina stole second and, with one out, Petit walked to load the bases. Prisco drove in Peruzzi with a single that saw him take second on an error and third on the throw. The play also scored DiPina and Petit.
- The Hawks stranded a runner on third in the sixth and runners on second and third in the seventh. In the ninth inning, Hartford loaded the bases with one out. With two outs, a bases-loaded walk and a hit by pitch with the bases loaded brought in two runs, making it 5-4. Freshman Nigel Cross (Worcester, Mass.) came in and got a fly out to end the game.
- Graduate student Jon Campbell (Snohomish, Wash.) improved to 3-2 with the win. He allowed two runs on six hits and struck out five in six innings. Cross notched his first collegiate save. At the plate, Peruzzi and DiPina each had a pair of hits.
GAME TWO: Hartford 3, Wentworth 2
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Hartford once again put a run on the board as a single, an error, and a ground out accounted for the scoring. The Hawks had a runner in scoring position with two outs, however, senior Brodi Farinas (Lewiston, Maine) picked off the runner at second to end the inning.
- The Hawks took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on an RBI infield single before the Leopards got on the board in the top of the fourth. With two outs, Prisco walked and went to second when Robinson was hit by a pitch. Graduate student Aaron Lundgren (Portsmouth, N.H.) drove in Prisco with a single.
- In the fifth inning, Wentworth tied the game at 2-all. Junior Devon Lapierre (Dover, N.H.) led off with a single and, with one out stole second. Peruzzi walked and when Lapierre stole third and scored on an error, went to second. A groundout moved him to third, however, a fly out ended the inning.
- Wentworth had a one-out double in the top of the seventh, however, that threat was ended by a caught stealing. In the bottom of the inning, the hosts took a 3-2 lead. With runners on second and third and two outs, a wild pitch allowed the go-ahead run to score.
- With two outs in the top of the eighth, the Black & Gold threatened to tie the game. Prisco singled and went to second on an error and Robinson walked. However, a strikeout ended the inning. Down to its final at bat, freshman Christian Roncal (Glendale, Ariz.) singled and took second on an error but a strikeout stranded him there to end the game.
- Junior Brady Aubuchon (Westminster, Mass.) took the loss (1-2), allowing one run and striking out one in one inning. Farinas pitched the first six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and striking out a pair. At the plate, Lapierre and Roncal each had a pair of hits.
ALL-TIME SERIES:
- Today marked the first-ever meetings between the two schools.
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