NORTON, Mass. – The Worcester Polytechnic Institute baseball team scored a pair of runs in the top of the ninth to break a 0-0 game and give it a 2-0 victory over host Wheaton College (Mass.) this afternoon in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play at Sidell Stadium on the campus of Wheaton in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons dip to 9-6 overall and 3-1 in league play. The Engineers improve to 13-7 and 1-1. The win snaps a 13-game losing streak to the Lyons for WPI, dating back to March 25, 2017.
Senior right-handed pitcher Owen Redcliffe (Holliston, Mass.) tossed a five-hit shutout and struck out a career-high 10 batters, while sophomore Jack Zawacki (Pittsford, N.Y.) drove in the eventual game-winning run in the top of the ninth to lead the Engineers. Radcliffe improved to 2-2 on the season following his first career shutout for the Engineers and issued just one walk on the day in the ninth inning. He allowed just two runners to reach third base in the game and tossed 107 pitches.
Wheaton first year starting southpaw Aiden Cardoza (Dartmouth, Mass.) was almost as good in the re-match between the two hurlers from just six days ago, giving up just one unearned run on six hits and no walks, while fanning three batters in eight and a third innings.
First year third baseman Casey Wensley (Raynham, Mass.) led the Lyons at the plate with a 2-3 effort that included a double for the game's only extra-base hit. Senior shortstop Mike Maher (Jefferson, Mass.), junior first baseman Timmy Wagner (Hingham, Mass.) and junior second baseman Tommy Beauregard (Salem, Mass.) all singled for the home team.
First year catcher Spencer Merrick (Abington, Mass.) was 2-4 with a run batted in for WPI, while junior right fielder Andrew Cash (Marlborough, Mass.) was 2-4 with a run scored, Zawacki's RBI single was his only knock in four at-bats.
Entering the top of the ninth inning, the Engineers had not advanced past second base in the game, but were able to push two runs across in the frame. Cash singled through the left side with one out in the inning for the visitors to break up a string of nine consecutive batters set down by Cardoza, who was lifted following the hit. Following a fly out, Cash stole second and went to third when sophomore Zachary Roethlein (Pomfret Center, Conn.) hit a slow chopper back to the mound that was mishandled by the Wheaton reliever to put runners on the corners with two outs. Zawacki came through, going the other way with an 0-2 pitch served into right field to plate Cash with the first run of the game. Merrick followed with a squibber off the end of the bat that amounted to a swinging bunt down the third base line to bring home Roethlein with the second run for WPI.
Wheaton looked to rally in the bottom of the ninth, putting the first two hitters on base to begin the frame. Senior right fielder Tommy Ambrosone (Hopkinton, Mass.) drew a lead-off walk and Maher reached on an infield single down the third base line. Both runners were left stranded after Radcliffe got a ground ball with one out that resulted in Roethlein stepping on third base to get the out and the throw to first to complete the double play to end the game.
The Lyons threatened to get on the board early in the game when they put two runners in scoring position with one out in the bottom of the second. Wagner singled to center and Wensley drove a ball to the base of the left center field fence to put runners on second and third. Radcliffe settled down and retired the next two hitters on a line out and ground out to third.
Meanwhile Cardoza was getting help from his defense as well, erasing base runners in both the second and fourth innings with inning-ending twin killings for Wheaton.
The Lyons looked to crack the scoring column again in the fifth when Wensley ripped a single down the right field line, went to second on a sacrifice bunt, before taking third on a ground out. Radcliffe got out of the jam with a strikeout.
Radcliffe retired the next 11 batters before Beauregard laced a two-out single up the middle in the eighth and stole second base for Wheaton, but was left there after a foul pop-up to first ended the threat.
The Lyons will be in action again on Thursday, April 4 when they host Suffolk University at Sidell Stadium for a 3:30 p.m. first pitch, while the Engineers return to action on April 6 when they host NEWMAC rival Massachusetts Institute of Technology at College of the Holy Cross' Fitton Field for a Noon doubleheader.
