Northboro, MA --- The WPI bats came alive on day two of a seven-inning, 19-8 victory over Emerson on Thursday afternoon. The NEWMAC matchup originally began on Tuesday but was halted in the fifth inning due to a quick burst of inclement weather. The Engineers improve to 12-16 overall and 1-7 in conference play, while the Lions drop to 8-16 and 2-8 in the NEWMAC.
Jonathan Lattimer (Windsor, CT) led the way for WPI with three hits and five RBI, while Tommy Burns (Morris Plains, NJ) also tallied three hits and four runs driven in. Andrew Cash (Marlboro, MA) and Jacob Wiberg (Exeter, NH) each homered and collected three RBI, and Camden Willems (The Woodlands, TX) reached base three times, scored four runs, and stole a base.
Dominic Monico (Litchfield, NH) earned the win in relief with 4.2 innings of two-run ball after taking over when the game resumed Thursday. Brian Riley (East Taunton, MA) started on Tuesday, striking out two across 2.1 innings.
WPI jumped ahead early with a two-run homer from Cash in the top of the first and then broke the game open with six runs in the third. The inning featured three home runs, including a three-run blast from Burns, a solo shot from Lattimer, and a two-run homer off the bat of Wiberg.
Emerson responded with five runs in the bottom of the third, highlighted by Braeden O'Connell's (Boxford, MA) three-run homer, a triple from Briggs Loveland (Burleson, TX), and a fielder's choice RBI from Tobey Roberts (West Tisbury, MA).
The Engineers pushed their lead to 12-6 in the fourth after capitalizing on an error and getting an RBI single from Liam Keblin (Newton, MA) before a quick downpour on the turf at the NEBC suspended the game.
When play resumed Thursday, WPI wasted no time extending its advantage. Spencer Merrick (Abington, MA) scored on a fielding error, and pinch runner James DiGiovanni (Kennebunk, ME) crossed the plate on a misplay in left after a Willems single. Lattimer followed with an RBI single and later came around on a fielder's choice from Matt Shea (Andover, MA), giving WPI a 15-6 cushion.
In the sixth, Merrick and DiGiovanni opened the frame with back-to-back singles before a third straight hit by Willems loaded the bases. Cash delivered a sacrifice fly, Burns singled in another run, and Lattimer capped the four-run inning with a two-run single to make it 19-6.
Emerson tacked on two runs in the bottom of the seventh on a two-run homer from Ethan Gorman (Randolph, NJ), but the WPI lead stood after seven, giving the Engineers the run-rule victory.
The Engineers return to action on Saturday with a noon NEWMAC matchup at Babson. Emerson heads to NEWMAC-rival MIT on Tuesday for a 3:30 game.