Northboro, MA --- WPI freshman Steven Gallagher (Coventry, RI) and senior Anthony Capuano (Stoneham, MA) each hit a grand slam while three more Engineers went yard in a 23-3 victory over Emerson Tuesday afternoon in a NEWMAC baseball game played at the New England Baseball Complex.
WPI improves to 13-6 overall and 2-1 in league play while the Lions fall to 3-12 on the season and 0-3 in NEWMAC action.
Senior Alex Venditti (Newton, MA) reached on a fielder's choice in the top of the first allowing classmate Vinny D'Ambrosio (Mahopac, NY) to plate the initial run of the game. The Engineers forged ahead with six in the second. Senior DJ Ouellette (Watertown, CT) launched a 1-1 pitch over the fence in center field before sophomore Evan Lacroix (Methuen, MA) chased Gallagher home with an RBI single. Venditti tallied two more RBI on a double to left center and quickly crossed home plate thanks to a first-pitch blast by senior John Mulready (Rockland, MA).
The Engineers came up with eight more in the third, highlighted by Gallagher's two-out first-pitch grand slam. Capuano followed with his grand slam with two outs in the fourth. Venditti then cleared the fence in right with a 0-1 swing to open the fifth.
Emerson got on the board in the home half of the sixth as sophomore Pablo Feldman (Mill Valley, CA) doubled in a run and later scored on a failed pickoff. WPI answered in the top of the seventh as freshman Josh Herlands (Glastonbury, CT) touched home on an RBI miscue put into play by classmate Benjamin Chaffee (Franklin, MA). The bottom of the eighth saw rookie Max Wildstein(Atlanta, GA) use a two-out single to chase home sophomore Liam Fitzmaurice (Quincy, MA).
WPI added two more in the ninth behind an RBI double by Senior Sean Greene (Hingham, MA) and a run-producing single by freshman James Curtin (Mahopac, NY).
Gallagher finished 2-for-2 with four RBI and three runs scored while Capuano went 2-for-4 with four RBI, a double and a run scored. Venditti (2-for-3, two walks, five RBI, four runs) and Mulready (2-for-2, four RBI, two runs) also doubled and homered, accounting for each of their two hits. Lacroix batted 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored while junior Joe Fainer (Thomaston, CT) came off the bench to go 3-for-3 with a stolen base and a run scored. D'Ambrosio (two steals) crossed the plate four times and Ouellette accounted for two more tallies. Greene and Herlands added doubles for the Crimson and Gray.
Feldman led the Lions with a 2-for-5 day to go with an RBI and a run scored. Senior Jim Cain(Wakefield, MA) walked three times as classmate Steven Cameron (Lansdale, PA) and juniorConnor Damiano (Randolph, NJ) each drew a pair of free passes. Sophomore Neil Perry(Middleboro, MA) contributed with a double as he, Cain and Damiano each swiped a base.
Junior Aidan Freeburg (Billerica, MA) struck out seven and walked two while allowing two hits in five scoreless innings. Junior CJ Doskocil (Sterling, MA) fanned five in a pair of innings while classmate Sean Fallon (Westwood, MA) and freshman Tyler Weiss (Monroe, CT) each took an inning for the Engineers. Emerson freshman Tim Mainella (Dover, NH) absorbed the decision as he shared time on the mound with junior Clint Fontanella (Pelham, NH), freshman Sam Dorfman(Mill Valley, CA) and sophomore Henry Schwartz (Queens, NY).
Engineer junior Nick Comei (Haverhill, MA) and Venditti combined for a 6-3 double play while Feldman and junior Kyle Becker (Jericho, NY) turned a 2-5 twin killing for the Lions.
WPI returns to the diamond tomorrow for a 3:30pm non-conference matchup at the NEBC versus Fitchburg State while Emerson hosts Lasell Thursday at 7pm.
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