Wentworth Sweeps Salve Regina to Clinch Home Field in TCCC Playoffs

MEDFORD, Mass. – Senior Pete Oggeri's (Sandy Hook, Conn.) theft of home plate in the last of the sixth inning snapped a scoreless tie, while senior Chris Sandini (Upton, Mass.) won his program-record 17^th game of his career as the Wentworth baseball team completed a sweep of a The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader with a 2-0 win over Salve Regina.  The Leopards snapped a season high five-game losing streak with a 16-13 win in the first game.

Wentworth scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning to jump in front, 3-0.  Junior Matt Jordan (Concord, N.H.) drew a leadoff walk and scored a batter later when sophomore Conner Flisnik (Marcy, N.Y.) belted his first home run of the season to left field.  Oggeri, who singled, went to second on an errant throw of a double play attempt, and scored on a single from junior Ben Danker (Branford, Conn.).

The Seahawks drew even in the fourth inning as sophomore Michael O'Neill (Pawtucket, R.I.) led off with his seventh home run of the season, while seniors Tom Glynn (Woodbridge, Conn.) and Riley Diaz (Miami, Fla.) each had RBI singles.  The game wouldn't be tied for long as Wentworth answered with five of its own in the home half of the inning, as Oggeri had a two-run double, junior Mike Diodato (Asbury, N.J.) and Danker each had RBI singles, and junior Jake McManus (Hopkinton, N.H.) had an RBI groundout.

Wentworth added a pair of runs to its total in the fifth inning on an RBI triple from freshman Alex Wong (Lewiston, Maine), who would come home to score on a sacrifice fly from Jordan, and led 10-3 after five innings.

Salve Regina plated a pair in the top of the sixth inning when Glynn hit his first home run of the season, which scored junior Alexander Melcher (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.).  The home half of the sixth inning would see Wentworth score six times, highlighted by a grand slam from Oggeri, his program-record 13^th dinger of his career.

Trailing 16-5 entering their final at bat, the Seahawks began to chip away at the Leopards' lead, sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring eight runs.  Junior Matt Capone (Barrington, R.I.) had a two-run double in the frame, while junior Charles Matarazzo (Montville, N.J.), O'Neill, Glynn, Diaz, and sophomore Michael Muise (Auburn, Maine) each had an RBI.  With one out and a runner on first, senior Matt Dannenhoffer (Bethany, Conn.) induced two popups to end the game.

Dannenhoffer walked just one and struck out seven to improve to 6-0 on the season.  Offensively, Oggeri was 3-for-4 with six RBI, while Danker and Wong each collected two hits and two RBI and senior Anthony Carbone (Goshen, Conn.) was 2-for-3.

Sophomore Nicholas Politelli (Warwick, R.I.) fell to 3-2 on the year as he allowed eight runs on eight hits in 3.1 innings of work.  Glynn went 3-for-4 with four RBI, while Melcher also had three hits.  O'Neill, Capone, and Diaz each drove in two runs.

While the first game featured a combined 29 runs and 27 hits, the nightcap was a pitcher's duel between Sandini and junior Brandon Bursie (Smithfield, R.I.).  The Seahawks would have a chance to get in the scoring column first, as in the second inning junior Brendan Tapley (Warwick, R.I.) singled, Diaz walked, and junior Jason Sluberski (Verona, N.J.) singled to load the bases.  However, Sandini got a pair of strikeouts to end the threat and the inning.  An inning later Salve Regina got a two out triple from Melcher and a walk from Glynn, but, once again could not score.

A Diaz single and Sluberski double placed runners at second and third to open the fourth inning.  However, Sandini would leave both runners there as he got a ground out sandwiched between a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.  Wentworth had its best chance to score in the fifth when freshman Ryan Delgado (Wareham, Mass.) led off with a double and went to third on a passed ball.  Wong drew a one-out walk, but was picked off first, and Brusie got a strikeout to end the threat.

Oggeri laced a one-out double to right field and went to third on a Diodato ground out.  With McManus at the plate, Oggeri broke the deadlock with a straight steal of home.  McManus completed his at bat with a single to left for his 100^th career hit – making him the 12^th player in program history to achieve that milestone.  An infield hit by Danker placed runners at first and second with two outs before Delgado doubled home McManus to give the Leopards a 2-0 lead.

After Sandini got a fly out to open the seventh, he threw away a ground ball by Matarazzo, who went to second.  After a flyout, Melcher walked, placing the go-ahead run at the plate.  On the eighth pitch of the at bat, Sandini won the battle, striking out his 10^th batter of the game, the 11^th time he has done that in his career.

Allowing six hits and walking three, Sandini improved to 3-3 on the year.  Danker and Delgado each had a pair of hits, with Delgado driving in a run.

Bursie fell to 2-4 on the season as he allowed a pair of runs on six hits and struck out six in 5.2 innings of work.  At the plate, Sluberski had two hits.

With the wins, Wentworth improves to 22-11 overall and 14-6 in TCCC play.  The Leopards step out of league play on Thursday when the travel to Mass. Maritime.  Salve Regina falls to 18-15 (11-9) and hosts Mitchell tomorrow at 3:30 p.m.