Northboro, MA --- A bottom-of-the-ninth rally lifted the WPI baseball team to a chaotic 12-11 win over crosstown rival Worcester State on Wednesday afternoon at the New England Baseball Complex. The Engineers improve to 10-6 overall, while the Lancers move to 4-8 with the loss.
Another wild game featured 23 runs and 23 hits, but it was an RBI groundout and three straight hit batters that gave WPI the come-from-behind victory. The Engineers' Jeffrey Brennan (Amsterdam, NY) continued his hot spring, going 3-for-5 with two doubles, three RBI, and two runs scored. Kyle Johns (Milltown, NJ) and Jack Zawacki (Pittsford, NY) each collected two hits and two RBI, while Jacob Hand (Niskayuna, NY) had three hits with an RBI with a pair of runs scored.
Eight WPI pitchers tossed innings in the game with Jack Gomes (Newport, RI) throwing a perfect ninth inning, striking out all three batters he faced to earn his second win of the season. Owen Radcliffe (Holliston, MA) got the start, going two scoreless and hitless innings, while Jeff Maddalone (Clifton Park, NY), Jackson Roberts (Downingtown, PA), and Gavin Maloney (West Boylston, MA) each pitched scoreless innings in relief.
For Worcester State, Tyler Smith (Leominster, MA) and Alex Sorenti-Burns (Sagamore Beach, MA) led the Lancers at the plate, each driving in three runs, while Xavier Quezada (Providence, RI) had two RBI and Joe Auger (Lowell, MA) recorded two hits and three runs.
WPI jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first, with a Brennan double starting the scoring. Johns followed with an RBI double of his own, while Kyle DeRoma (Dracut, MA) singled home the third run of the frame.
Worcester State tied the game without a hit in the top of the third, parlaying four walks, a hit by pitch, and a groundout into three runs.
WPI answered with a seven spot in the bottom of the frame to take a 10-3 lead. Back-to-back doubles from Brennan and Johns started the rally, before two-out singles from Tommy Burns (Morris Plains, NJ), Shane McLaughlin (Brewster, NY), and Zawacki pushed the lead to 7-3. A Hand double scored one and a Brennan single added the final two runs of the frame to put the Engineers up seven.
Again Worcester State responded, scoring four runs on four hits to close the deficit to 10-7. An Auger double sandwiched a pair of walks, setting up an RBI single from Smith. After a strikeout, Sorenti-Burns sent a base hit to center to plate a pair and Anthony Iamarone (Providence, RI) drove in the fourth run on a single before a ground out ended the frame.
The Lancers cut the deficit to one with solo runs in the top of the sixth and seventh before taking their first lead of the game with two more in the eighth. In the sixth back-to-back walks set up an RBI fielder's choice from Quezada, while in the seventh it was an Auger double that was sent home on a Smith groundout to make it 10-9.
In the top of the eighth, Worcester State got singles from Sorenti-Burns and Chris Ausiello (Tyngsboro, MA) before another Quezada single tied the game. After a strikeout for the second out of the inning, back-to-back walks scored the go-ahead run giving Tom Halliwell (Leominster, MA) an RBI before a fly-out ended the frame with the Lancers up 10-9.
WPI got its final rally started in the bottom of the ninth with a lead-off double from Gavin George (Salem, NH). A passed ball and an error put runners on first and third with no outs and Zawecki's groundout to second scored George for the game-tying run. After Hand and Brennan were each hit by pitches to load the bases, another hit batter, this one Danny Johnson (Mendon, MA) sent home the game-winning run.
WPI is off until Saturday, April 1st when the Engineers open NEWMAC play against Wheaton beginning at noon at Assumption. Worcester State has another local match-up next, playing at Clark on Sunday at noon.