Northboro, MA --- John Mulready (Rockland, MA) highlighted a two-out, three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning with a two-run single to help WPI baseball defeat visiting Mass Maritime 4-2 in its home opener on Wednesday afternoon.
The Engineers, winners of five straight, are now 7-4 on the season while Mass Maritime dips to 2-4 overall.
Trailing by a run, DJ Ouellette (Watertown, CT) led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a base hit up the middle. After Mass Maritime starter Alex Rozak (Plymouth, MA) got the next two outs before Vinny D'Ambrosio (Mahopac, NY) nailed a single that deflected off the pitcher. Nick Comei (Haverhill, MA) tied the game with a single that plated pinch runner Matt Breidenbach(Freetown, MA). After Alex Venditti (Newton, MA) was hit to load the bases, Mulready laced a single up that middle that scored D'Ambrosio and Comei to give the Engineers the lead.
The visitors went ahead 2-1 in the top of the seventh when they manufactured an unearned run. Jake Petruzzelli (Abington, MA) reached on an error, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt byConnor Kennedy (West Barnstable, MA) and to third on a single from Paul Sances (Middleboro, MA) before scoring on a wild pitch.
Mass Maritime scored the game's first run with Logan Sullo's (Acuehnet, MA) drove in Everett Walsh (Marston Mills, MA) with a sacrifice fly. WPI answered back when freshman Steven Gallagher (Coventry, RI) launched his first career home run in the bottom of the second.
Mulready, Gallagher and Ouellette all had multiple hits for WPI.
Mike Vaitkunas (Auburn, MA) (2-1) earned the victory with four strong innings of relief. StarterCJ Doskocil (Sterling, MA) allowed a run on just two hits over the first five innings. The pair combined for five strikeouts and limited the Buccaneers to just three hits. Rozak (0-2) took the loss for MMA, yielding four runs in 6 2/3 innings of working. Kyle Kennedy (Woodbury, CT) tossed an 1 1/3 of scoreless relief for the guests.
Both teams have home contests Thursday at 3:30pm. WPI entertains Gordon while Mass Maritime faces Wentworth.