Auburndale, FL --- The WPI baseball team amassed 25 hits on the opening day of the 2015 season to defeat Husson 11-4 and 9-6 on Sunday at the RussMatt Invitational.
The Engineers, who opened the season 2-0 for the first time since 2010, enjoyed a 14-6 margin in the hit column in game one and an 11-7 differential in game two.
WPI 11, Husson 4
The Crimson and Gray used a six run outburst in the bottom of the first which began with a 2-RBI double by DJ Ouellette (Watertown, CT). Sean Kelly (Shrewsbury, MA) added an RBI single while John Caliri (Hanson, MA) used a bases clearing double to make it a 6-0 ballgame.
WPI tacked on four more in the third. Nick Comei (Haverhill, MA) and Sean Greene (Hingham, MA) each used an outfield single to plate a run. Alex Venditti (Newton, MA) followed with a 2-RBI single to right.
Husson began to chip away with a run in the fourth, fifth and sixth. The Engineers grabbed a run back when Anthony Capuano (Stoneham, MA) scored on a Vinny D'Ambrosio (Mahopac, NY) single to center in the sixth. The Eagles responded in the top of the seventh for the 11-4 final.
Taylor Landry (Kennebunk, ME) allowed three runs on five hits and struck out seven in six innings of work. Drew Gelinas (Saco, ME) fanned three and earned the save.
Comei, Greene, Capuano, Kelly and Caliri all registered a pair of hits for the Engineers.
WPI 9, Husson 6
The Crimson and Gray once again took the lead in the first inning, this time with a three-run spurt. D'Ambrosio scampered home on a miscue and Ouellette delivered two more with a double to center. Husson responded with a run in the bottom half of the frame.
WPI plated two more in the third as Ouellette lifted a sacrifice fly to right and Capuano sent an RBI single to center. Greene's single to right in the fourth gave the Engineers the 6-1 lead.
The Eagles pulled within two courtesy of a three-run fifth. They dented the scoreboard again in the sixth to make it a one-run ballgame.
A pair of miscues yielded a pair of runs while D'Ambrosio logged an RBI single as the Engineers pulled away once more. Husson had the final say with a run in the seventh.
Mike Duclos (Greenfield, MA) yielded four runs on four hits and fanned three in 4 2/3. Mike Vaitkunas (Auburn, MA) and Steven D'Agostino (Shrewsbury, MA) combined to strike out three in relief.
D'Ambrosio, Greene and Venditti each went 2-for-5 in the nightcap.
WPI returns to the diamond tomorrow for a 1:30pm twinbill with Roger Williams.