Northboro, MA --- Senior Steven D'Agostino (Worcester, MA) struck out a career-high nine batters, including four looking, and freshman Jordan DeDonato (Danvers, MA) batted 3-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base and a pair of RBI as WPI sank Mass. Maritime, 8-1, Monday afternoon at the New England Baseball Complex.
The Engineers begin a busy week with a 7-5 ledger while the Buccaneers slip to 3-6.
D'Agostino did not allow an earned run on three hits and four walks over five innings. Junior Doug Rives (Bethany, CT) scattered two hits and three strikeouts the rest of the way.
Junior Ryan Tropeano (Pembroke, MA) began the bottom of the first with a 3-1 ground-rule double and scored on an RBI single down the line by classmate Steven Gallagher (Coventry, RI), who eventually scored on a wild pitch for the 2-0 lead after one complete. The Engineers left the bases loaded in the second and plated three in the third. Junior Austin Lindner (W. Windsor, NJ) and DeDonato connected on back-to-back run-producing singles with a pair scoring on the latter.
Each side scored an unearned run in consecutive half innings with the Buccaneers getting on the board in the top of the fifth. Tropeano later plated a pair of unearned runs with a hit to right in the eighth.
Lindner and Tropeano also collected three hits while sophomore Tyrone Patterson (Upper Marlboro, MD) notched a pair, including a double to go with a pair of stole bases. Senior Casey Furnas (Boca Raton, FL) went 2-for-4 and classmate Billy Keane (Braintree, MA) swiped a base for the Buccaneers. Sophomore Matt Smith (Lowell, MA) struck out four in the decision as sophomore Wyatt Major (Mattapoisett, MA) set down six in the final 5 2/3.
WPI hosts Nichols tomorrow at 3:30pm and Mass. Maritime is at UMass Dartmouth Wednesday at 3pm.