EAST BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – March 22, 2009 - Sophomore Jake McManus' (Hopkinton, N.H.) squeeze bunt with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning scored junior Doug Papuga (Branford, Conn.) and lifted the Wentworth baseball team to a 10-9 win over Colby-Sawyer in the nightcap of a The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader. Wentworth also won game one, by a 9-3 score.
The Chargers took a 2-0 lead when senior Tom White (Lisbson, N.H.), the third batter of the game, hit his second home run of the season over the left field fence. The blast also scored senior Chris Gaeta (Lynn, Mass.), who had delivered a one-out single.
From there Wentworth took over, scoring two runs in the home half of the second inning when McManus delivered an RBI single and sophomore Mike Diodato (Asbury, N.J.) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. An inning later the Leopards exploded for six runs, capped off by McManus' first career home run, a three-run shot to left center.
The Chargers scored an unearned run in the top of the sixth when junior Jarrett Lowe (Sudbury, Mass.) had a sacrifice fly that would score freshman Justin Martin (Lebanon, N.H.). Wentworth countered with a run of its own in the home half of the sixth when senior Mike Roberts (Chelmsford, Mass.) doubled in sophomore Ben Danker (Branford, Conn.).
Junior Chris Sandini (Upton, Mass.) picked up the win to improve to 2-1. Sandini pitched six inning, allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits, walking three and striking out nine. Classmate Matt Vezina (Uxbridge, Mass.) pitched a perfect seventh inning. Offensively, McManus had two hits and drove in four runs, while Danker and junior Doug Papuga (Branford, Conn.) each had a pair of hits.
Colby-Sawyer junior starter Chris Smith (Lisbon, N.H.) lasted 2.2 innings, giving up eight runs (five earned) on seven hits, while walking four. Junior Carter Malpass (Plymouth, Mass.) allowed one run on two hits in 3.1 innings of work.
Wentworth would jump out to a 2-0 lead in the home half of the third inning of the nightcap on a two-run single from Roberts that plated senior Nick Cunningham (Pembroke, Mass.) and freshman Conner Flisnik (Marcy, N.Y.). However, the lead would not last long as Colby-Sawyer scored seven times in the top of the fourth to take a 7-2 lead. Aided by a pair of Leopard errors, the Chargers got an RBI double from sophomore Matthew Corvo (Stratton Mountain, Vt.) and RBI singles off the bats of sophomore Brandon McFadden (Dummerstown, Vt.), White, Gaeta, and junior Chris Hartery (Billerica, Mass.), as well as a sacrifice fly from freshman Greg Mehuron (Waitsfield, Vt.).
The Leopards countered with a run in the home half of the inning to cut the lead to 7-3 when Papuga led off with his first home run. However, the Chargers pushed across two more runs in the top of the fifth when Mehuron delivered an RBI double and scored on an error.
Faced with a 9-3 deficit entering the home half of the fifth, Wentworth began its comeback with a four-run inning. Danker had an RBI double that would score Cunningham and would score on a double by Roberts. Papuga delivered a two-run single that plated Roberts and junior Anthony Carbone. An inning later the Leopards pulled within one when Diodato led off with a double and moved to third on a groundout. Flisnik delivered a sacrifice fly that would score Diodato.
A leadoff walk by McFadden to open the seventh would bring in Leopard sophomore Matt Jordan (Concord, N.H.), who gave up a sacrifice bunt to Corvo that put McFadden in scoring position. However, he would be stranded there when Jordan retired the next two batters. A one-out walk to Carbone was erased in the home half of the seventh when Roberts grounded into a fielder's choice. However, on the next pitch Papuga would deliver the tying run with a triple to center that scored Roberts.
Colby-Sawyer loaded the bases with one out in the top of the eighth inning when Gaeta doubled down the left field line, White was intentionally walked, and Hartery hit an infield single. However, Jordan got an infield popup and a flyout to end the threat.
Neither team would have a chance to go ahead until the Leopards came to bat in the last of the 10th. After a groundout, Papuga, who needed a double to hit for the cycle, delivered his second triple in as many at bats when he laced a three-bagger to the gap in right center. With a 1-1 count, McManus squared around and bunted a ball back to the mound as Papuga broke from home to score the game-winning run.
Jordan improved to 2-1 with four innings of shutout ball, where he allowed a pair of hits and struck out two. He had come on in relief of senior Matt Chymbor (Meriden, Conn.), who pitched 2.1 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits. Junior starter Matt Dannenhoffer (Bethany, Conn.) lasted 3.2 innings, giving up seven runs (two earned) on eight hits, while striking out three. Papuga led the Leopard offense with four hits and four RBI while Flisnik, Roberts, and McManus each had a pair of hits. Roberts also drove in three runs.
Freshman Ryan Gillan (Alton, N.H.) took the loss (0-1) for Colby-Sawyer, allowing two runs on three hits in four innings of work. He came on in relief of freshman Matt Rosa (Manchester, N.H.) who allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits in an inning of work. Sophomore Mike Bertuccio (Millstone Township, N.J.) lasted 4.1 innings, allowing five runs on six hits and striking out a pair. Corvo collected three hits, while Gaeta, White, and Hartery each had two hits.
The Chargers are 2-9 overall and 0-2 in TCCC play. The team returns to action on Wednesday, March 23 when they travel to Daniel Webster.
