Wentworth Picks Up First Two Wins of 2010 With Sweep of Newbury

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Junior Ben Danker's (Branford, Conn.) pinch-hit squeeze bunt in the top of the seventh inning snapped a 1-all tie and senior Scott Borges (Westport, Mass.) stranded runners on first and second to earn the save and preserve a brilliant pitching performance by junior Doug Papuga (Branford, Conn.) and the Wentworth baseball team defeated Newbury, 2-1, to earn a sweep of a non-league doubleheader.  The 2-1 win came on the heels of a 7-4 Leopard win in the first game.

The first game saw Wentworth take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single from junior Matt Jordan (Concord, N.H.), which plated Papuga.  The Leopards clung to the one-run lead until the top of the fourth when the Nighthawks tied the game on an RBI single from freshman Matthew Clauson (Tolland, Conn.), which would see sophomore Alex Chetelat (Farmington, Conn.) come around to score.

Wentworth used five runs in the home half of the inning to take a 6-1 lead, which began with a one-out triple off the bat of junior Jake McManus (Hopkinton, N.H.).  McManus came when sophomore Joe Meucci (West Hartford, Conn.) hit a double.  Sophomore Justin Bolla (Newburyport, Mass.) and sophomore Conner Flisnik (Marcy, N.Y.) each had RBI singles before Papuga drove in two runs with a single of his own.

Newbury took advantage of two Leopard errors in the top of the fifth to trim the lead to 6-4, with sophomore Patrick Curry (Hampstead, N.H.) providing a sacrifice fly to drive in a run and a second run scoring on the same play on an overthrown ball from the outfield.  Wentworth provided an additional run in the bottom of the sixth when senior Pete Oggeri (Newtown, Conn.) had an RBI single.

Senior Matt Dannenhoffer (Bethany, Conn.) picked up the win, allowing four runs (zero earned) on four hits while striking out eight.  Sophomore Matthew Hrasky (Marion, Mass.) took the loss for the Nighthawks, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits in 3.1 innings of work.

McManus, Flisnik, and Papuga each had two hits for the Leopards, while Papuga had a pair of RBI.

Newbury struck first in the nightcap as Papuga, after a leadoff strikeout, would walk the next four batters with sophomore Mike Dean's (Wethersfield, Conn.) bases-loaded walk driving in the run.  The Leopards had a chance in the fourth inning, but had a runner thrown out at the plate and would leave the bases loaded.  An inning later Papuga would have a one-out single and would go to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jordan, which was bobbled.  Both runners moved up 90 feet on an Oggeri bunt and Papuga would score on a wild pitch.

Jordan drew a one-out walk in the top of the seventh, stole second, and went to third on a wild pitch.  Oggeri was intentionally walked and Danker was brought on to pinch hit.  On the second pitch he saw he laid a bunt down with Jordan breaking for home to put Wentworth ahead, 2-1.

Borges came on in relief of Papuga to start the home half of the seventh and would give up a leadoff single to freshman Kyle Schiavone (Wethersfield, Conn.), who would advance to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Curran Shane (Bedford, N.H.).  After a flyout, Curry drew a walk, but Borges would preserve the win with a strikeout to end the game.

Five different players each had a hit for the Leopards, while Papuga gave up one run on three hits and struck out a career-high 10 batters in the win.  Newbury freshman Zach Griesche (Niskayuna, N.Y.) took the loss for the Nighthawks, allowing a pair of runs (one earned) on five hits.

With the win, Wentworth improves to 2-2 on the season and is back in action tomorrow against Albion.  Newbury opens its season at 0-2 and plays Emerson tomorrow.