Northboro, MA --- The WPI baseball team came from behind in the late innings twice on Saturday as the Engineers secured a sweep of Emerson in NEWMAC baseball action at the New England Baseball Complex.
The Engineers scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth in game one and held on for an 8-7 win, and then scored twice in the eighth of game two to take a 4-3 victory.
With the sweep, WPI has now won four straight contests and improve to 6-4 on the season and 4-4 in conference action. The Lions slip to 1-5 overall and 1-5 in the NEWMAC.
Game 1: WPI 8, Emerson 7
Dylan Connors (Westboro, MA) homered to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game at three and key a 6-run inning for WPI, who answered back after the Lions took a 3-2 lead with three runs in the top of the frame.
The Engineers scored twice in the bottom of the first, and then both teams put up zeroes until the eighth inning. Connors was on the mound to start the game, and he threw four scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
Joe Salvon (Longmeadow, MA) drove in a pair of runs with a single through the left side, and DJ Brooks (Danvers, MA) tripled home two more insurance runs.
Those came in handy as Emerson plated four runs on three hits in the top of the ninth.
Joe Colucci (Howell, NJ) was 4-4 for the Lions with a pair of runs scored. Josh Cohen (Corte Madera, CA), who took four walks, and Thai Morgan (Waldwick, NJ) also crossed the plate twice for Emerson.
Carter Bach (Albany, NY) got the win for WPI, while Owen Radcliffe (Holliston, MA) pitched a perfect ninth with one strikeout for his first save.
Game 2: WPI 4, Emerson 3
WPI took advantage of an error and four wild pitches to plate a pair of runs and take the lead in the bottom of the eighth. Trailing 3-2, pinch hitter Jacob Hand (Niskayuna, NY) got the winning rally started with a single. He got all the way to third base on an error, and scored on a wild pitch.
The Engineers loaded the bases and another wild pitch brought home the winning run via Jacob DelMonte (Southington, CT).
Each team scored a single run in the first, with Connors singling home Jeffrey Brennan (Amsterdam, NY), who had a pair of hits.
Martin McCormack (Quincy, MA) drove in Andrew Brooks (Millis, MA) to tie the game at 2 in the third, but the next inning, Emerson grabbed a lead with a solo homer by Matt Nachamie (Merrick, NY).
Emerson had an 11-8 edge in base hits, including 2-4 days by Andre Padovani (Lynnfield, MA), Louie Davolio (Worcester, MA) and Colucci.
Alexander Mondro (Westford, MA) pitched three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out a pair to earn the victory. Everett Wonson (Wenham, MA) struck out eight batters over six innings with just three runs allowed.
Both teams are back in action next weekend with noon road twinbills. WPI ventures to Coast Guard on Saturday while Emerson travels to Babson Sunday.