Studley Eclipses 100-Win Mark as Leopards Sweep Anna Maria

(Courtesy of Anna Maria Sports Information)

PAXTON, Mass. – Sophomore Conner Flisnik (Marcy, N.Y.) combined to go 5-for-8 with four runs scored three RBI, while seniors Matt Dannenhoffer (Bethany, Conn.) and Mo Gardner (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) each improved to 5-0 with complete-game victories as the Wentworth baseball team extended its winning streak to a school-record nine games with a sweep of Anna Maria, 14-8, and 9-4, in a The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader.  With the two wins, sixth-year Leopard head coach Steve Studley became the first Wentworth baseball coach to reach the 100-win mark.

Anna Maria, which was the visiting team for both games, despite the games being played on its campus, struck for three runs in the top of the first  when junior Dave McNamara (Worcester, Mass.) singled home junior Mike Galvin (Rutland, Mass.), who had led off with a walk.  McNamara would come around to score on senior Jeff Lander's (Gloucester, Mass.) second home run of the season.

The Leopards put up six in the third inning to take a 6-3 lead, as junior Mike Diodato (Asbury, N.J.) had an RBI single, freshman Alex Wong (Lewiston, Maine) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, junior Matt Jordan (Concord, N.H.) delivered a two-run single, and Flisnik had a two-run double.  After McNamara hit a sacrifice fly to center to drive in a run in the top of the third, the Leopards countered with junior Jake McManus (Hopkinton, N.H.), who doubled and went to third on a flyout, scoring on a wild pitch.

The AMCATS tied the game at 7-all in the top of the fourth inning, thanks to an RBI single from freshman Justin Hyland (Spencer, Mass.) and a two-run double off the bat of freshman Mike Guanieri (Wallington, Conn.).  The lead would not last long as the Leopards too an 11-7 lead with four in the home half of the inning, as Flisnik drove in a run with a single, junior Ben Danker (Branford, Conn.) reached ona fielder's choice scoring Flisnik, and McManus had a sacrifice fly.

Lander hit a one-out home run in the top of the fifth, which would cut the lead to 11-8, just Jordan blasted his first home run of the season in the home half of the inning, a two-run shot, that made it a 13-8 game.  McManus delivered an RBI single in the sixth inning to round out the scoring.

McManus and Jordan each recorded three hits, with Jordan driving in four and McManus three.  Flisnik and Diodato each had a pair of hits, and the former drove in three runs.  Dannenhoffer scattered 10 hits and struck out three in recording the win.

Lander had two hits and three RBI while Guanieri and McNamara each had two hits and two RBI.  Sophomore Jeff Scarfidi (Worcester, Mass.) took the loss (2-2) as he allowed 10 runs on three hits in three-plus innings.

Oggeri got things going in the nightcap when he hit his fifth home run of the season which also tied the program record for career home runs with 12.  From there Wentworth capitalized on three AMCAT errors to score two unearned runs and take a 4-0 lead.  Anna Maria got one back with an unearned run in the second, but a Diodato RBI single in the second put Wentworth ahead, 5-1.

Neither team scored in the third or fourth innings and Anna Maria trimmed the lead to 5-2 in the top of the fifth when junior JK Vaughn (Simsbury, Conn.) drew a bases-loaded walk.  Two more Anna Maria errors led to two unearned runs for the Leopards in the bottom of the fifth, but the AMCATS responded with two in the top of the sixth on a Galvin home run and a McNamara RBI single.  Wentworth completed the scoring in the home half of the sixth when Oggeri sacrificed in Flisnik, who had a one-out triple, and, after Oggeri was safe on an error, he was doubled home by Danker.  Anna Maria would have a chance to make things interesting in the seventh, but would leave the bases loaded to end the game.

Despite allowing 12 hits, Gardner remained unbeaten on the season allowing four runs (three earned) and striking out three.  Flisnik went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and Danker had a pair of hits.  Oggeri drove in three runs and scored twice to help pace the offense.

Sophomore Dean Diamantopoulos (Shrewsbury, Mass.) was saddled with the loss (1-3), allowing nine rund (four earned) on eight hits in 5.1 innings of work.  Scafidi was 4-for-4, while McNamara and Galvin each had two hits.

In his sixth season as Wentworth's head coach, Studley has amassed a 100-105-1 (.488) record, which includes 71 of those wins coming over the last three seasons (71-38-1; .679).  The two wins improve Wentworth's record to 19-6 overall and 11-3 in TCCC and the Leopards host Curry tomorrow at Brockton's Campanelli Stadium.  Anna Maria saw its losing streak reach six games and stand at 12-12 overall (6-8 TCCC).  The AMCATS host Endicott tomorrow.