Northboro, MA --- Cody Osburn (Sacramento, CA) went 4-for-5 at the plate with four RBI and a pair of runs scored as Worcester State halted host WPI's four-game winning streak with an 11-5 victory in a non-conference baseball game played at the New England Baseball Complex Wednesday afternoon.
With the win, the Lancers improve to 6-7 while the Engineers, currently ranked fifth in this week's New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) Division III coaches poll, slip to 10-5. WSU leads the series 24-19; however, the two ball clubs have split (2-2) over the last four campaigns.
For the fifth game in a row this season, the Engineers took the lead in their half of the first inning. With two outs in the frame, DJ Ouellette (Watertown, CT) and Anthony Capuano (Stoneham, MA) used back-to-back run-producing singles to secure the 2-0 advantage.
Worcester State cut the lead in half on a Steve Wallace (Auburn, MA) RBI ground out in the third.Adam Barry (Auburn, MA) followed with a two-run ground rule double to center field to give the Lancers the 3-2 lead.
The fourth inning was a stalemate as WSU's John Boyd (Worcester, MA) scored on an Osburn RBI double while Capuano scored during the Lancers second 6-4-3 double play of the afternoon.
The Blue and Gold pulled away with a four-run top of the fifth. Osburn singled in a pair and came home on a Dan McGuill (E. Longmeadow, MA) double to left. In between the swings, Boyd scored on a double steal. Worcester State took the 9-3 advantage when Zach George (Attleboro, MA) crossed home plate during an Engineer double play in the sixth.
Sean Greene (Hingham, MA) delivered a pair of runs for the Engineers as he sent a 2-1 offering out of the park in center field in the seventh.
Worcester State scored two more in the ninth off RBI doubles by Osburn and Mike Powers (Weymouth, MA), who was inserted as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the lineup.
Capuano and Kelly each had a pair of hits while Vinny D'Ambrosio (Mahopac, NY) and Zach Blanchard (Warwick, RI) each drew a pair of walks for the Engineers.
Aidan Freeburg (Billerica, MA) suffered the setback in a game that saw five Engineers pitch in relief, Mike Vaitkunas (Auburn, MA), Mike Duclos (Greenfield, MA), Dan Bettigole (South Windsor, CT), Andrew Portera (Alpharetta, GA) and CJ Doskocil (Sterling, MA).
Osburn was joined in the Worcester State multiple hit club by Barry (3-for-4, 2 RBI, walk, run), McGuill (2-for-5, RBI, run) and Nick Gikas (Danvers, MA) who went 2-for-3 with a run scored. As a team, the Lancers enjoyed a 15-6 margin in the hit column.
Zach Zona (Auburn, MA), who picked up his first win of the season, led all pitchers with three strikeouts. Tyler Barrie (Oxford, MA) started for the Lancers while Jared Kuzio (Franklin, MA) ended it with a pair of hitless frames.
WPI hosts Babson, at the New England Baseball Complex, for a single NEWMAC game on Friday at 3:30. Worcester State welcomes Mass. Maritime for a noon MASCAC twinbill on Saturday.