Worcester, MA --- Lauren DiFelice (Acushnet, MA) homered in both ends of the doubleheader and Ali LaRue (South Glens Falls, NY) and Katie Bumila (Raynham, MA) combined to total 11 hits and eight RBI as WPI swept visiting Babson by scores of 4-1 and 10-2 Sunday afternoon in the NEWMAC opener for both squads. The Engineers are now 11-5 on the season and 2-0 in conference play while Babson is 7-9 overall and 0-2 in NEWMAC action.
The sweep was the first for WPI over the Beavers since April of 2007.
The trio of DiFelice, LaRue and Bumila accounted for eight of WPI's ten hits in the opener. The Beavers got the scoring started in the second when senior Nicole Latini (East Bridgewater, MA) scored on a squeeze bunt by junior Breezy DiPietro (Essex, MA). WPI countered with a single run to tie the game after back-to-back doubles by DiFelice and LaRue.
The Crimson and Grey would take the lead for good in the fourth when DiFelice (2-for-3, RBI) opened the inning with a solo home run to left field, her second of the season, to make it 2-1. Sophomore Juliana Fekete (Belgrade, ME) nearly added two runs to the lead with two out later in the inning but was robbed on a diving catch by senior left fielder Jess Pashos (Winchester, MA).
The Engineers would get those two runs back in the fifth on LaRue's third hit of the game with a two-run double to right center, scoring Bumila (3-for-3) and sophomore Nicole McDonough (Abington, MA) (1-for-3), to increase the lead to 4-1.
Senior Allie Hardy (West Townsend, MA), who allowed just five hits, got the complete-game win in the circle for WPI to even her record to 4-4. Hardy got help behind her as the Engineer defense turned double plays in the first and fourth innings.
Babson junior starter Megan Brain (Pompton Plains, NJ) took the loss and freshman Meghan Haynes (Robbinsville, NJ) pitched the final two innings for the Beavers, allowing a hit and striking out two. Junior Jackie Enos (Taunton, MA) led the Babson offense with two hits while Latini, Kelly King (Kennebunk, ME), and Sammy Kiley (Lynn, MA) all collected base hits.
In game two, five Engineer batters had multi-hits and four had multiple runs batted in to help WPI sweep the doubleheader with a 10-2 victory.
Babson once again got on the scoreboard first after Pashos hit a double to right field and Latini, who had a team-high two hits, brought her home on another double two batters later to take an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. WPI answered an inning later when junior Erin Beaulieu (Bethany, CT/) doubled down the right field line and was singled home on LaRue's fourth straight hit of the day.
The Crimson and Grey got four more runs in third inning, highlighted by a Bumila two-run double and DiFelice's second home run of the day (third of the season), a two-run shot that glanced off the outfielders glove and over the fence. After Bumila drove in another run on a fielder's choice, Beaulieu made it 7-1 WPI on a double to right center.
The Beavers got a single run back in the fifth when sophomore Sam Pilkington (Westboro, MA) led off the inning with a solo home run to right center. However the Engineers would tally three more runs in the sixth to end the game. Bumila (2-for-4, 3 runs, 3 RBI) hit her second double of the game to start the inning and scored on Beaulieu's third two-base hit. LaRue (3-for-4) brought home Beaulieu (3-for-4, 2 runs) on a RBI ground out before freshman Amanda Pierce (Ware, MA) (2-for-4) hit a RBI single to left field to account for the 10-2 final score.
Senior captain Erin Flaherty (Stoughton, MA) threw a complete game, allowing four hits, two earned runs, a walk, and striking out one to improve to 4-1 on the season. Sophomore pitcher Tess Rubega (Norwich, CT) was saddled with the loss for the Beavers.
Fekete (run), junior Janelle MacLaughlin (Lancaster, MA), and senior Allie Roche (Chelmsford, MA) (two runs) all had hits in the win.
WPI is back in action on Wednesday when they head to undefeated Amherst for a 3pm doubleheader. Babson opens its home campaign on Thursday, entertaining Bridgewater State in a 3pm twin bill.
Release by Dave Milone
