Auburndale, FL --- WPI junior Steven Gallagher (Coventry, RI) surpassed 100 career hits and sophomore David Larson (Port Tobacco, MD) crushed a home run that landed in the water beyond the left field fence in a twinbill setback to Rhode Island College Wednesday at the RussMatt Baseball Invitational.
Both teams ended the day with a .500 record.
Gallaher achieved his milestone in the form of a single to right center in the bottom of the first inning of the day.
Down 4-0 heading into the home half of the third, freshman Jordan DeDonato (Danvers, MA) and junior Ryan Tropeano (Pembroke, MA) cut the deficit in half with back-to-back blasts. The bases were loaded with two outs to setup an RBI single and free pass for juniors Josh Herlands (Glastonbury, CT) and Austin Lindner (W. Windsor, NJ).
The Anchormen dented the scoreboard five times in the fifth. Lindner responded with a 2-RBI double to center. Each side plated four in the sixth. Tropeano, Gallagher and Larson all went yard and Herlands chipped in with a run-producing single. RIC then added an insurance run in the top of the seventh.
Tropeano and Gallagher finished the game with three hits as Herlands and sophomore Tyrone Patterson (Upper Marlboro, MD) notched a pair. Senior Andrew Gelinas (Saco, ME) shouldered the decision as classmate Nick Borsari (Bolton, MA) and sophomore Matt Woods (Wilmington, MA) each put in an inning-plus for the Crimson and Gray.
The Engineers were up 9-7 heading into the bottom of the seventh. A bases-clearing double ended the game in RIC's favor.
WPI was behind 6-5 game through three innings. Gallagher began with an RBI single and came home thanks to a triple by senior Matt Howard (Worcester, MA). Tropeano singled and senior Evan Lacroix (Methuen, MA) put the ball in play as the Engineers were up 4-2 midway through the second.
RIC put together three in the bottom of the stanza. Howard evened the game at five with a solo shot to right center in the third.
The Engineers regained the lead in the fifth as Larson homered and Lindner's sacrifice fly was misplayed. WPI tacked on two more behind a double by Larson and sac fly by Patterson. A RIC home run made it 9-7 through six.
Howard had three hits while Tropeano, Larson and Patterson registered two apiece. Sophomore Nick Tagaris (New City, NY) was tagged the decision as he and sophomore Keith Scales (Upper Marlboro, MD) combined to strikeout seven.
WPI will enjoy an off day before taking on Anna Maria twice Friday. First pitch is slated for 2:45pm in Auburndale.