Baseball Walks Off Suffolk to Salvage Split

WEYMOUTH, Mass. – Matt Robinson's walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning gave the Wentworth Institute of Technology baseball team a 6-5 win and a split of a Conference of New England doubleheader Monday afternoon at Libby Field.

The Leopard are presently 10-18 overall and 4-7 in CNE play while the Rams are 11-18 (4-6).

GAME ONE:  Suffolk 2, Wentworth 1

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Suffolk took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Colin Flynn led off the contest with a home run to left field. In the bottom of the inning, Wentworth had a runner on with one out but was unable to get the equalizer.
• A pitcher's duel between Nigel Cross and the Rams' TJ Dimitriou kept it a one-run game until the fifth inning when Suffolk scored on an RBI single with two outs. Wentworth threatened in the bottom of the inning as Nick Cullinan was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and went to third on a Jake Prisco single. However, a ground out ended the Leopards' hope of getting on the board.
• In the bottom of the sixth, Wentworth got on the board. With one out, Robinson singled and went to third on a Matthew Favazzo single. A.T. DiPina grounded out which scored Robinson. Cullinan followed with a walk but both he and Favazzo were stranded after a fly out ended the inning.
• Down to its final at bat, Cyle Archer singled with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. However, the tying run was left on first as a groundout ended the game.
• Cross took the loss (4-3), as he allowed two runs on five hits and struck out three in a compete-game effort. Robinson had a pair of hits while Cullinan reached base twice.

GAME TWO:  Wentworth 6, Suffolk 5 (8)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Suffolk used the long ball to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Max Martin hit a one-out home run to right field. The Rams had runners at first and second with one out, however, Brady Aubuchon got the next two batters out to keep it 1-0.
• Wentworth took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second. DiPina singled and went to second on a wild pitch. Cullinan drove DiPina in with an RBI single and went to third on a Christian Roncal double. Prisco followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Cullinan and moved Roncal to third. An Archer ground out scored Roncal, making it 3-1.
• The Rams cut the lead to 3-2 in the third when Martin had an RBI triple to lead off the inning but was stranded there when Aubuchon got the next three batters. An inning later, Suffolk threatened to take the lead, loading the bases with two outs. Chase Carder came on in relief of Aubuchon and got a groundout to end the inning.
• Wentworth pushed its lead to 4-2 in the fourth as Archer singled in Roncal who drew a one-out walk. In the fifth inning, the Leopards took a 5-2 lead when DiPina drew a one-out walk, went to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a Cullinan RBI single. The Black & Gold loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth inning but were unable to add to their lead.
• With two outs in the top of the seventh, Suffolk tied the game, thanks to a bases-loaded, three-run double off the bat of Sebastian Lampert. Cooper Smith came on in relief of Carder and got a groundout to end the inning.
• Jake Samela delivered a two-out pinch hit in the bottom of the eighth and went to second on a Devon Lapierre single. Nick Tiani pinch ran for Samela at second and came around to score on Robinson's game-winning hit.
• Smith improved to 3-0 on the season, setting down all four batters he faced over 1.1 innings. Cullinan was 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Archer also drove in a pair. Robinson, Lapierre, DiPina, and Prisco each had two hits.

ALL-TIME SERIES:

• Today was the 26th and 27th all-time meetings between the two teams.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth is at Lesley tomorrow night.

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