Myrtle Beach, SC --- The WPI baseball team swept its doubleheader against Bridgewater State on Thursday night, taking game one 10-5 before securing a 7-4 victory in the nightcap at Ripken Field in Myrtle Beach. With the wins, the Engineers improved to 4-3 on the season, while the Bears dropped to 2-6.

Game One

WPI scored nine runs in the first three innings and never looked back, pounding out a 10-5 win in the first game of the doubleheader.

Tommy Burns (Morris Plains, NJ) led the WPI offense, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a pair of runs scored, while Andrew Cash (Marlboro, MA) went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, including an RBI triple. Jonathan Lattimer (Windsor, CT) also had two hits and drove in a run, while Jacob Wiberg (Exeter, NH) added two hits and an RBI.

Brian Riley (Portland, ME) earned the win for the Engineers, tossing five strong innings while allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits with eight strikeouts. Ethan Smith (Hanson, MA) closed out the game, pitching the final two frames and allowing just one run while striking out four.

Bridgewater State was led by Ryan Flaherty (Duxbury, MA), who drove in three runs, while Jamie Luna (Warwick, RI) added an RBI. Shane Handrahan (Raynham, MA) took the loss, allowing eight runs (four earned) on eight hits in 2.1 innings.

WPI wasted no time getting on the board, notching two runs in the first inning. Cash tripled to center field to drive in Burns, then Lattimer followed with a single through the left side to plate Cash and give the Engineers a 2-0 lead. Bridgewater State got one run back in the bottom of the first when Flaherty grounded out to shortstop, allowing Emerson to score an unearned run.

WPI broke the game open in the second inning, capitalizing on defensive miscues by Bridgewater State. A fielding error allowed James DiGiovanni (Kennebunk, ME) to score, then a throwing error by the second baseman allowed Wiberg to cross the plate. Spencer Merrick (Abington, MA) walked with the bases loaded to force in another run, and Gavin George (Salem, NH) was hit by a pitch to bring home another, making it 6-1.

The Engineers tacked on three more in the third. Burns delivered a two-run double to center field, scoring DiGiovanni and Matt Shea (Andover, MA). Cash followed with an infield single to score Burns, pushing the lead to 9-1. In the fourth, Wiberg added an RBI single to shortstop, extending the advantage to 10-1.

Bridgewater State battled back with three runs in the fifth, as Kevin Lindsay (East Bridgewater, MA) grounded out to drive in one before Flaherty laced a two-run single to left field, cutting the deficit to 10-4.

The Bears added one final run in the sixth on a groundout by Riley Thornell (Wareham, MA), but Smith shut down any further rally attempts.

Game Two

WPI completed the doubleheader sweep over Bridgewater State with a 7-4 victory in the nightcap. The Engineers built an early lead and held off a late push from the Bears.

Lattimer led the Engineers' offense, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs, including two run-scoring singles. Chuck Cappello (Southboro, MA) delivered a two-run triple, while Cash added an RBI single and stole a base. Shea chipped in an RBI single, and Wiberg scored three runs and swiped a base.

On the mound, Luke Frauton (Medway, MA) earned the win in relief, throwing 0.2 innings and allowing one earned run on two hits. Joseph Conti (Lincoln, RI) started for WPI, pitching 3.1 innings and allowing no earned runs on one hit while striking out four. Damon Chase (Rye, NH) worked an inning, giving up one run with two strikeouts, and Kaiden Williams (Aurora, IL) closed out the victory with two innings of work, allowing two runs while striking out one.

Flaherty homered and drove in a pair to lead the Bridgewater State offense. Scott Emerson (Peabody, MA) had two hits and drove in a run, while Jeyden Espinal (Fall River, MA) added a double. On the mound, Nathan Reiser (Nahant, MA) took the loss, pitching four innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits while striking out four.

WPI struck first in the opening inning when Lattimer singled to center to bring home Wiberg, who had reached on an error. The Engineers extended their lead in the fourth as Cappello ripped a two-run triple to right center, plating George and Lattimer to make it 3-0.

Bridgewater State responded in the fifth with two runs, as Emerson tripled home a run before scoring on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 3-2. WPI answered in the bottom half, with Cash singling home Wiberg before Lattimer delivered a two-run single up the middle to push the lead to 6-2.

Shea added an insurance run in the sixth with a two-out RBI single to score Wiberg, making it 7-2. The Bears got two runs back in the seventh when Flaherty homered to left field, but Williams shut the door to secure the victory.

WPI wraps up its South Carolina trip with a doubleheader against Hilbert on Friday, starting at 3pm. Bridgewater State also concludes its spring break trip tomorrow, playing Cairn at 1pm.