Myrtle Beach, SC --- – The WPI baseball team earned a doubleheader split with Penn College to open action at the Myrtle Beach Spring Break Tournament on Sunday. The Engineers fell 10-9 to the Wildcats in the opener but rebounded with a lopsided 10-1 win in game two, as D.C. Brown (Plymouth, MA) turned in a dominant performance on the hill.

Game One
WPI rallied in the top of the seventh to take a late lead, but Penn College answered with three runs in the bottom half to walk off with a 10-9 victory.

Andrew Cash (Marlboro, MA) led the WPI offense, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI. Chuck Cappello (Southboro, MA) went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Jonathan Lattimer (Windsor, CT) and James DiGiovanni (Kennebunk, ME) each drove in two runs. Jack Zawacki (Pittsford, NY) added two hits, while Joe DiMichele (East Longmeadow, MA) also collected two hits and scored twice.

On the mound, Eric DePiero (Beverly, MA) took the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) over 1.1 innings of relief. Joseph Conti (Lincoln, RI) surrendered four runs in one inning, while Jacob Wiberg (Exeter, NH) allowed three runs over four innings in the start.

For Penn College, Jaiden Augustine (Dillsburg, PA) and Levi Purnell (Snow Shoe, PA) each drove in two runs, while Matt Munoz (Tobyhanna, PA) added a two-run triple. Nathan Gustkey (Philipsburg, PA) doubled and scored twice, and Jaydon Goebel (Honey Brook, PA) finished with two RBI. Parker White (West Decatur, PA) earned the win in relief despite allowing four runs in the seventh.

WPI struck first in the opening inning when Tommy Burns (Morris Plains, NJ) scored on a fielder's choice by Cash following an infield error. Penn College countered in the third with a two-run single from Augustine and an RBI hit from McGwire Heverly (Bellefonte, PA) to go up 3-1.

The Engineers responded in the fourth, as Cash delivered a two-run double to score Zawacki and DiGiovanni, tying the game at 3-3.

WPI took a 5-3 lead in the fifth after an RBI single from Cappello and a sacrifice fly from DiGiovanni, but Penn College answered with four runs in the bottom half, highlighted by a two-run single from Goebel and a two-run triple from Munoz to reclaim the lead at 7-5.

The Engineers surged back in the seventh, plating four runs. DiGiovanni walked with the bases loaded, Burns added a sacrifice fly, and Lattimer delivered a two-run single, giving WPI a 9-7 advantage.

Penn College responded in the bottom of the inning, capitalizing on a sacrifice fly by Munoz and a two-run, game-winning single from Augustine to complete the walk-off.

Game Two
Brown was dominant on the mound, tossing five no-hit innings while striking out nine and allowing just three walks to earn the win. Brian Riley (Portland, ME) pitched one inning of relief, allowing an unearned run but no hits. Kaiden Williams (Aurora, IL) closed out the game with a perfect seventh, striking out one to preserve the win.

Roethlein led the WPI offense, going 2-for-3 with four RBI, including a double and a sacrifice fly. Cash finished 1-for-3 with an RBI double and three runs scored, while Lattimer added a hit, two RBI, and two walks. Wiberg contributed two hits and two runs, while Burns stole two bases and scored three times. Matt Shea (Andover, MA) also had two hits in the win.

Penn College struggled offensively, finishing without a hit in the first five innings. White scored the Wildcats' only run, while McClain took the loss after allowing six runs (two earned) over 1.1 innings.

WPI wasted no time jumping ahead, scoring four runs in the first inning. Lattimer drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home Wiberg for the game's first run. Zawacki followed with an infield RBI single before Zachary Roethlein (Pomfret Center, CT) singled through the left side to extend the lead to 3-0. Cappello then grounded out to first, allowing Lattimer to score and giving WPI a 4-0 advantage.

The Engineers added two more runs in the second, with Cash doubling to left-center to bring home Burns. Roethlein added a sacrifice fly to center, plating Cash and making it 6-0.

WPI continued to capitalize on Penn College mistakes in the fifth. An error allowed Wiberg to score, Lattimer singled to center to bring home Burns, and Roethlein ripped a two-run double down the right-field line, pushing the lead to 10-0.

Penn College broke up the shutout in the sixth when White reached on a fielder's choice and later scored on a throwing error, but the Wildcats could not generate any further offense.

Tournament action continues tomorrow with WPI back in action against Penn State Berks at 12:30pm Penn College plays a pair tomorrow, taking on Bridgewater State and Lesley.