WPI Sweeps Worcester State in Cross-Town Twinbill

WORCESTER, Mass. – The WPI Engineers came away with two wins to improve their record to 14-10 as they downed the Lancers by scores of 8-7 and 12-1 in a Tuesday afternoon twinbill, hosted by Worcester State (5-13) at Rockwood Park.

GAME ONE: WPI 8, Worcester State 7 (8 inn.)

In a game that saw five ties, WPI's Kristin Gallagher (Coventry, R.I.) hit the game-winning RBI on a double to centerfield in the top of the 8^th inning to lead the Engineers to an 8-7 extra-inning victory over the Lancers in the first contest of the afternoon.

Gallagher guided the Engineers' offense in game one with two doubles, a home run and four RBI while, while RiAnna May (Westminster, Colo.) registered a team-high two runs. Both Gallagher and May batted 3-for-4, while Renee LeClaire (Merrimack, N.H.) picked up two hits in the win. Nina Murphy-Cook (Roseville, Calif.) reached base and recorded her 21^st stolen base of the season.

Worcester State's offense was driven by senior third baseman, Rachel Couto (Chelmsford, Mass.) who went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI. Both Kaiulani Ennis (Swansea, Mass.) and Kayla Humphrey (Wallingford, Conn.) picked up two hits apiece in the loss.

WPI's first hit of the afternoon was in the top of the 3^rd when Gallagher hit a solo shot to centerfield. Worcester State matched the one run in the bottom half of the inning when Couto hit an RBI single to left field.

WPI took the lead once again in the top of the 4^th on an RBI single from Lindsay Gurksa (Revere, Mass.).

The teams battled with each other until the Lancers scored three runs in the bottom of the 6^th to take a 7-5 lead on three consecutive RBI singles from Couto, Humphrey, and Corrie Derosier (Shrewsbury, Mass.).

WPI came back and knotted the game at 7-7 in the top of the 7^th when Cassie Graca (Somerset, Mass.) hit a 2-RBI double to centerfield, leading the game into extra innings, as the Lancers were unable to score a run on the flip side of the inning.

The Engineers won the game in the top of the 8^th when Gallagher sent pinch runner, Leila Camplese (Tewksbury, Mass.) home after she had started the extra innings on second base (international tiebreaker).

WPI's starting and closing pitcher, Mackenzie Phillips (Gill, Mass.) earned the win in the circle. In her 6-inning performance, she allowed two runs (one unearned) on four hits and struck out six batters.

Worcester State's, Rachel Frisch (Worcester, Mass.), who started in the circle and came back in the 8^th inning, was tabbed the loss in a 7-inning performance. Frisch allowed five runs (one unearned) on 11 Engineer hits.

GAME TWO: WPI 12, Worcester State 1 (5 inn.)

After edging the Lancers in the first game of the afternoon, the Engineers mercied Worcester State 12-1 in the nightcap as Julia Veitch (Carlisle, Mass.) led the team going 3-for-3 with a home run, three runs and five RBI.

Both Ama Biney (Worcester, Mass.) and Katie Chagami (Waipahu, Hawaii) collected two hits apiece in the win.

Worcester State scattered seven hits amongst seven players in the loss. Sydney Despres (Sterling, Mass.) registered the Lancers' sole RBI, as she drove Courtney Salisbury (Cranston, R.I.) home on a single to left field early in the 1^st inning.

WPI responded with two runs on three hits in the top of the 2^nd, and kept adding to their lead in the 4^th and 5^th innings to advance their total runs to 12.

WPI's Kelsey Saucier (Worcester, Mass.) picked up her sixth win of the season in a 4-inning performance. She permitted one run and four walks, while striking out six Worcester State batters. Worcester State's starting pitcher, Humphrey, grieved the loss in two innings pitched.

Next up, the Lancers travel to Rhode Island College for a doubleheader, starting at 4 p.m. The Engineers also resume play tomorrow as they host Clark in a conference doubleheader, starting at 5 p.m.