Leopards Improve to 5-0; Defeat WPI, 12-2

AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Sophomore Jake McManus (Hopkinton, N.H.) went 3-for-4 with three runs batted in, while freshman Conner Flisnik (Marcy, N.Y) and seniors Mike Roberts (Chelmsford, Mass.) and Nick Cunningham (Pembroke, Mass.) each collected two hits as the Wentworth baseball team improved to 5-0 with a 12-2 win over WPI.

The Leopards jumped on the board in the first inning when junior Pete Oggeri (Sandy Hook, Conn.) led off with a single.  After stealing second he moved to third when Roberts grounded out and scored when Cunningham grounded out.  The Engineers pulled even in the home half of the inning when senior Scott McNee (Falmouth, Mass.) doubled in junior Mike Swanton (Foxboro, Mass.).  WPI would try to take the lead when McNee attempted to score from second on a two-out hit from freshman Nick Bean (Middleboro, Mass.), but he was gunned down at the plate by Cunningham to end the inning.

Wentworth took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning on an RBI single from Cunningham that scored Oggeri.  However, the Engineers would tie the game in the home half of the inning on an RBI single from Swanton.

Roberts led off the fourth inning with a double and moved to third on a ground out.  After junior Chris Carbone (Goshen, Conn.) walked and took second on a wild pitch, McManus squeezed in Roberts with a bunt single to give Wentworth a 3-2 lead.  McManus would advance to third and Carbone would score on an errant pickoff attempt.  A groundout by Oggeri would score McManus giving Wentworth a 5-2 lead.

Three WPI errors would lead to four Wentworth runs in the fifth inning, keyed by a two-run single from McManus and a bases loaded walk by Flisnik, which would extend the lead to 9-2.  The Leopards added three more runs in the seventh on a sacrifice fly from Oggeri and an RBI single from Flisnik, who would later score on WPI’s fifth miscue of the day.

Junior Doug Papuga (Branford, Conn.) earned the win for Wentworth, pitching seven innings and allowing a pair of runs on eight hits and striking out four batters.

Engineer junior Alex Hansen (Burlington, Conn.) took the loss for WPI.  In 4.1 innings he allowed nine runs (four earned) on seven hits, while striking out five.  Offensively Bean was 2-for-3.

The win improves Wentworth to 5-0 on the season and the Leopards, after an off day Wednesday, resume play against Rensselaer Thursday morning.  WPI falls to 2-3 and is back in action on Thursday as well, as the Engineers will face Fitchburg State.

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