WORCESTER -- The WPI softball team split a twinbill with Eastern Connecticut on Sunday afternoon falling 11-3 in six-inning run rule, game one outing before flipping the script and shutting out the Warriors 10-0 in five innings in game two.  It was a showdown of a pair of Region II foes that both played in the 2022 NCAA Division III World Series a season ago. 

After the Engineers (4-10) fell in game one, Sophia Togneri (Hudson, MA) brought the heat to pick up her first solo shutout of the season, tossing just 69 pitches, while throwing five innings of shutout ball, striking out three and allowing just two hits to help WPI split the day with Eastern Connecticut (8-6). 

Lindsay Ambrosino (Chelmsford, MA) and Alicia Salvalzo (Hudson, NH) were both a perfect 3-for-3 in game two. Ambrosino finished with a double and three runs scored while Salvalzo had a double, a roundtripper, and three RBIs in the outing from the cleanup spot.  

GAME ONE 

Eastern Connecticut dominated for much of game one of the day, getting the scoring going in the second inning of action, putting a six spot on the board scoring via a wild pitch, ground out, double to left center and single through the right side to take a large, early lead.  

The Warriors added another pair or runs in the third inning utilizing a double down the leftfield line and two more runs in the fourth inning to build up a 10-0 lead.  

WPI got on the board for the first time on the day, in the bottom half of the fourth as Salvalzo started the action with a single to center, Emma Nagy (Monroe, WA) reached on a Warrior error, and Meg Sherwood (Norfolk, MA) walked to load the bases setting up Gabi Cerbo (Middletown, NJ) who sent a pinch-hit double to left center that cleared the bases and put WPI on the board 10-3.  

However, Eastern Connecticut was able to get another run back in the sixth inning, on a sacrifice bunt, to gain an 11-3 lead, and with that, the run-rule victory.  

Four different Warriors netted two RBI days, paced by a 2-for-2 effort from Ally Gruca (Lancaster, MA) who reached base in all four at bats with a single, a double, two walks, two RBIs and a run scored. Alyssa Vilchez (Brampton, ON) earned the win from the circle, pitching five innings, allowing three hits and three runs, walking two and striking out two in the victory. 

GAME TWO 

The tables turned in game two as the Engineers built up their own 10-0 lead through the first three innings of action.  

WPI was the squad to earn a 6-0 lead early on in this game, with a six-run first inning. A sacrifice fly by Destiny Lum (Kahaluʻu, HI) brought home the first run of the day, followed by a two run homer by Salvalzo to make it a 3-0 game. With two outs on the board, a Liz Jordan (Yardley, PA) single cleared the bases after an Eastern Connecticut error to double the lead to 6-0 after one. 

In the second inning, Ambrosino started things off with a ground rule double, and came home following a Lum at bat that forced another Warrior miscue. Lum moved up to second on the error, to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Salvalzo double to right to build the lead to 8-0.  

The Engineers added another pair of runs in the third to earn the double-digit lead. Ambrosino got on the basepaths first with a single through the left side, moving up to second on a passed ball and stole third during Lum's at bat. Lum ultimately homered, her fourth of the season, to make it a 10-0 game, and ultimately seal the victory.  

WPI returns to the diamond on Wednesday, March 29 when the Engineers play host to Worcester State for a doubleheader with first pitch slated for 4pm. Eastern Connecticut is back in action next weekend when they face the University of Hartford on Saturday, April 1 beginning at 1pm.