Auburndale, FL --- WPI used a pair of five run innings to defeat Greenville (IL) 13-0 in the second game of their doubleheader on Monday afternoon at Lake Myrtle Park.
After suffering their first loss of the year, 5-3, in the opening game of the day, WPI pitchers combined for a one-hit shutout over seven innings of the second game to move the Engineers to 3-1 on the year.
WPI will enjoy a day off in the Sunshine State before heading back to Auburndale on Wednesday to play Mount Union in an early twin bill, starting at 10:00am.
Greenville falls to 1-8-1 on the season after earning their first win of the season in Monday's opener.
Game 2: WPI 13, Greenville 0
WPI scored five runs in the top of the second inning and piled it on from there, as seven different Engineer hitters drove in runs, including four players with multi-RBI games.
On the mound, Alexander Mondro (Westford, MA) spun a brilliant first five innings, giving up just one hit and striking out five. Nick Tagaris (New City, NY) and Dillon Bordeleau (Cranston, RI) each pitched perfect innings in relief, and combined for three more strikeouts, ensuring Mondro would collect his first win of the season.
Right fielder Jordan DeDonato (Danvers, MA) was 3-4 at the dish with two runs scored, while Benjamin Chaffee (Franklin, MA) scored three times. At the top of the order, Andrew Brooks (Millis, MA) and Tyrone Patterson (Upper Marlboro, MD) each knocked in a pair of runs, including Brooks launching the first home run of the season, a solo shot in the top of the fourth.
WPI got the onslaught started with a five-run second, using three hits and an error to put the first six men safely on base.
Joe Salvon (Longmeadow, MA) added an RBI single in the top of the third and DeDonato blasted his second double of the day, going back to back two-baggers with David Larson (Port Tobacco, MD) to add another run in the fourth after Brooks led off with the homer.
In the top of the sixth, Dylan Connors (Westboro, MA) and Nick Wright (Foxboro, MA) took RBI walks, while Martin McCormack (Quincy, MA) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Connors scored on an error and Wright crossed the plate on a hit up the middle by Patterson.
A single by Klaiton Wolff (Altamont, IL) was the only hit for the game the Panthers, while their pitching staff gave up 12 hits and walked six, while striking out six batters as well.
Game 1: Greenville 5, WPI 3
The Engineers took a 2-0 lead after one inning, but Greenville scored four times in the top of the fifth to take a 5-2 lead. WPI scratched out a run in their final at-bat, but left two men on as their comeback attempt fell short.
Patterson knocked in Brooks with a triple to right center and scored on an RBI groundout by DeDonato and WPI was quickly up 2-0.
Greenville cut the deficit in half with a Joe Wood (Durham, NC) RBI single to left field in the fourth, and then tied the game in the fifth when Wolff singled home Andrew Torbeck (St. Louis, MO).
Landon Mokris (Petersburg, IN) delivered the big blow with a two-run double to center field off of Andrew Dupuis (Raymond, NH), who took the loss despite striking out five batters over four innings.
Brooks added a sacrifice fly to score Michael Fraser (Mashpee, MA) in the seventh before Logan Murphy (Memphis, IN) shut the door for the Panthers, preserving a win for Sam Alender (Staunton, IL), who improves to 1-2 on the year.
WPI collected seven hits in the loss, with Brooks and Patterson each adding another base knock and another RBI to their totals.