Norton, MA --- The WPI softball team rounded out its weekend road trip at Wheaton on Saturday afternoon where it picked up another doubleheader split with the Lyons, falling in a tight 2-1 first game before earning a 6-4 game two victory.  

WPI improves to 9-13 on the year and 3-3 in NEWMAC play with the split while Wheaton moves to 14-6 and 4-2 in conference play.  

Sydney Russell (Arlington, VA) scored the lone Engineer run of game one as Wheaton only allowed four WPI hits. A trio of WPI hitters finished with a multi-hit outing in the nightcap, including a perfect 2-for-2 performance from Alicia Salvalzo (Hudson, NH) and 2-for-3 outings from Lindsay Ambrosino (Chelmsford, MA) and Jocelyn Diaz (Reedley, CA). 

GAME ONE 

Togneri went the stretch again for the Engineers who fell in a tight battle, 2-1, to Wheaton in game one. The senior finished with six innings pitched, six hits allowed, the two runs scored and three strikeouts. But Wheaton's Sofia Knopf (Norton, MA) was able to pick up the W thanks to a fifth inning deciding run.  

The Lyons got on the board first, quickly, in the first inning of action as a single up the middle brought home the leadoff hitter to make it a 1-0 game.  

WPI evened the score in the third inning. Alex Sheehan (Marion, MA) walked to start the inning and then stole second, ultimately moving up to third on some small ball on a sacrifice bunt from Liz Jordan (Yardley, PA) before crossing the plate to even the score on a single to center from Russell.  

In the top of the fifth, Sheehan found herself in scoring position once again but was unable to cross. Though, in the bottom of the frame, a single down the right field line from Lindsey Oliveira (Westport, MA) to bring home Juliette Zito (Woodbrige, CT) for the ultimate game-winner.  

GAME TWO 

But as the last few doubleheaders, the Engineers bounced back in game two coming away with the 6-4 victory. The two teams played tit-for-tat with the scoring as WPI struck first in the first inning as an Salvalzo sacrifice fly brought home Ambrosino for the first run of the day. However, Wheaton responded in the bottom half of the frame.  

In the second, the Engineers were able to put a pair of runs on the board to take a 3-1 lead. Ava Laughlin (Chester Springs, PA) sent a double to left to begin things, and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Sheehan, crossing after Jordan beat out an infield single to second base. Jordan moved up to second on a throwing error on the play and crossed a batter later as Russell drove her in on a single to right field.  

Wheaton answered in the bottom half of the inning, but was only able to get one run on the board as WPI hung on to a 3-2 lead, which they built upon in the fifth inning with another pair of runs.  

Salvalzo started with a walk and got all the way to third thanks to a Diaz double. An error by the Wheaton shortstop allowed Emma Nagy (Monroe, WA) to reach and cleared the bases as the Engineers took a 5-2 lead. But again, the Lyons responded in the bottom of the inning to cut that lead to 5-3.  

Both teams added a run in the sixth with Destiny Lum (Kahaluʻu, HI) driving in the Engineers and Jill Ceddia (Hopkinton, MA) earning the honor for Wheaton but that would do it as the Engineers picked up the split.  

Nagy picked up the win for the Engineers, her fourth of the year, while Togneri stepped in to close out the game and earned her first save of 2023.  

UP NEXT

WPI will return to the diamond on Friday, April 14 as they begin another conference weekend of softball playing host to MIT with a doubleheader beginning at 3:30 pm before heading into the city to face Emerson on Saturday afternoon beginning at 1:30 pm. Wheaton is back in action with a mid-week doubleheader against Johnson & Wales starting at 3 pm before returning to conference action next weekend.