East Providence, RI --- Freshman Vinny D'Ambrosio (Mahopac, NY) collected three hits, including a bases-clearing single, and classmate Craig Teed (Stratham, NH) hurled 6 2/3 strong innings to spark WPI to a 6-5 victory over Johnson & Wales in a non-conference baseball contest played Sunday afternoon at Pierce Stadium in Rhode Island. The Engineers are now 7-11 on the season while snapping the Wildcats' (9-3) eight-game winning streak.
WPI, who was playing as the home team, jumped out to a 4-0 advantage in the bottom of the second. With one out, Matt Blakeman (Bedford, MA), John McGonagle (Medford, MA) and Cody Holmes (Plymouth, MA) loaded the bases with consecutive singles. D'Ambrosio chased them all home with a single to left that got past the outfielder and went all the way to the fence. Two batters later the freshmen came home on an RBI fielder's choice by Anthony Capuano (Stoneham, MA).
The two teams traded multiple runs in the third frame. The Wildcats sliced the advantage in half on a Jake Dickerson (Garnet Valley, PA) run-producing fielder's choice and a Pete Rosa (Ambler, NH) RBI double only to see WPI quickly answer back with a Zach Blanchard (Warwick, RI) run-scoring double down the left field line and a McGonagle sacrifice fly to right.
Johnson & Wales got a run in the sixth when James Reyes (Providence, RI) chased home Tyler Pacheco (East Hampstead, NH) with a single to field.
The score remained 6-3 until the Wildcats rallied in the ninth. Zach Boyes (West Warrick, RI) cut the deficit to two with a RBI double to deep right center. After a Jack Hocking (Hanover, MA) single put runners on first and third with nobody out, reliever David Trujillo (Sutton, MA) got a strikeout and the runner on first, who was attempting to steal, was called out for interference. After a Rosa infield single and a stolen base, Trujillo, who worked the last 2 1/3 innings, secured his first career save with a ground out to second.
Teed, scattered eight hits, allowing just two earned and fanned six to improve to 1-3. Jake Marchesseault (Wyoming, RI) suffered his first loss of the season for the Wildcats. The right hander (2-1) yielded six runs - four earned - and struck out three over the first five innings. Lefty Lane Compton (Freeland, MI) allowed just one hit in three shutout innings of relief.
Sean Kelly (Shrewsbury, MA) joined D'Ambrosio with multiple hits for WPI with a pair of singles. Boyes and Rosa each had a three knocks for JWU, with Boyes registering a pair of doubles and a triple.
WPI is back on the diamond on Tuesday, taking on Roger Williams at 3:30pm. Johnson & Wales is slated to continue its stretch of 12 games in 12 days on Monday at 3:30pm with a matchup at Babson.