Myrtle Beach, SC --- A six run bottom of the sixth was the deciding factor in game one and a grand slam highlighted a game two rout as the WPI baseball team upended Penn State Berks in both games of the 2024 season opening doubleheader at Crosley Field on Sunday night.  

The Engineers (2-0) took game one 8-2, followed by a 10-0 victory in game two.  

Three different Engineers finished game one with a pair of hits led by Jacob Hand's (Niskayuna, NY) 2-for-4 performance with a stolen base and pair of runs scored.  Tommy Burns (Morris Plains, NJ) starred in game two finishing with a grand slam, the team's first roundtripper of the year, while Hand blasted a three-run homer to solidify the victory. 

Owen Radcliffe (Holliston, MA) went the distance in game one pitching all seven innings allowing just three hits and a pair of runs while striking out eight. In game two, Noah Pins (Holden, MA) earned the victory pitching the first five innings of action, allowing just one hit and no runs, and striking out a dozen. Eric DePiero (Beverly, MA) stepped in to close things out, allowing just one hit. 

Game One 

Penn State Berks (0-3) got on the board first putting a run on in the top of the first, but WPI answered right back in the bottom half of the inning. Hand started the year off with a single to second, stole second and came around to score on a Burns single to right field to make it 1-1.  

The Engineers added another run in the bottom of the third, once again at the hands of Hand. He kicked off the inning with a single, and advanced to second after an error by Penn State-Berks' first baseman, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a sac fly by Andrew Cash (Marlboro, MA) to make it a 2-1 game.  

The Nittany Lions evened the score at two-all in the fifth inning before the Engineers' sixth inning outburst.  

Zachary Roethlein (Pomfret Center, CT) started the inning off by beating out a single to the shortstop and moved to second on a balk. After a walk to Jake DelMonte (Southington, CT), Roethlein came around to score on a Liam Keblin (Newton, MA) single down the leftfield line.  

DelMonte moved up to third on the single, and after a balk came around to score, as Keblin took second. A passed ball got Keblin 90 feet away from scoring and he did so after a DJ Brooks (Danvers, MA) single to left field. With two outs, Brooks stole second and up to third after Cash reached first on an infield error. Cash took second and Burns walked to load the bases.  

With bases loaded, back-to-back singles from Jonathan Lattimer (Windsor, CT) and Gavin George (Salem, NH) brought home another pair of runs and a wild pitch brought home another to give the Engineers their 8-2 lead and the eventual victory.  

Game Two

WPI got on the board first with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. Spencer Merrick (Abington, MA) singled to centerfield to start off the inning and moved up to second after Nicholas Battaglino (Marlboro, MA) got hit by a pitch. Hand singled to second and Merrick came around to score for the first run of the game. In the next at bat, Cash doubled to center and a speedy Hand came around to score on the play to bolster the lead to 2-0.  

The Engineers added another four runs in the fifth inning. Battaglino started things off with a walk moving up to second after Cash beat out a single to third base. Matt Shea (Andover, MA) reached on a fielder's choice and loaded the bases after a muffed throw by the Nittany Lions' second baseman which set up a Burns grand slam to make it a 6-0 game. 

WPI added another three runs in the sixth inning thanks to Hand. Merrick drew a walk to get on base moving up to second after Battaglino followed that with a walk of his own. One batter later, Hand drove everyone home to make it a 9-0 game. 

In the seventh, the Engineers added one more as Roethlein reached on a fielder's choice, moving up to second on a wild pitch and came around to score on a Merrick double to left center putting a 10 spot on the board.  

Next Up

WPI is back in action on Monday afternoon as the team continues its spring break trip with a 3pm. meeting with Saint Elizabeth (NJ). Penn State Berks will take on Penn State Du Bois on Monday at 1:30pm.