WORCESTER -- The WPI softball team swept Worcester State in a doubleheader on Wednesday evening at Ralph Raymond Diamond earning a 12-0 run rule victory in game one and coming away with a 10-3 game two victory. 
 
With the wins, the Engineers improve to 11-12-1 on the season while the Lancers drop to 15-12 in 2024. 
 
Three different players had three hit outings in game one as WPI combined for 13 hits in the 12 run victory. Sydney Russell (Arlington, VA), Sandy Fairbairn (Norton, MA) and Riley O'Brien (Wynantskill, MA) led the way with 3-for-4 afternoon in the first game of the day. Russell and Fairbairn ended the outing with 6-for-8 days from the plate. Russell netted five total RBIs and five runs scored while Fairbairn recorded her first career home run in game one and netted five RBIs and two runs scored. 
 
O'Brien also added a homer in game run and finished the day with a 5-for-8 afternoon, accounting for six RBIs and three runs scored. 
 
Naomi Boldebuck (Billerica, MA) picked up a win in game one, pitching all five innings of the shutout allowing just one hit on the day. Kaitlyn Barr (Grosse Pointe Woods, MI) earned the game two win, pitching seven innings, allowing seven hits and three earned runs while striking out a trio of Lancers. 
 
Game One
The Engineer scoring started in the first inning and never relented as WPI put up multiple runs in all but the fourth inning in the game. O'Brien started the scoring off driving in Virginia McKinney (Larchmont, NY) with a single to right center, followed by a Destiny Lum (Kahalu'u, HI) double to left to bring O'Brien home and then a Shaina Lazarus (Thousand Oaks, CA) single to center to put the third run of the game on the board in the top of the first. 
 
In the top of the second, WPI put another trio of runs on the board as Fairbairn's first career homer drove in a pair of runs followed immediately by an O'Brien homer to make it a 6-0 game. 
 
The third featured four runs off four hits for the Engineers. With runners on the corners, Liz Jordan (Yardley, PA) laid down a sacrifice bunt that scored Lazarus and after an Alex Sheehan (Marion, MA) single to left that ultimately put runners on second and third, Russell cleared the bases with a single to center to make it a 9-0 ballgame. Fairbairn capped the inning with a double to left to drive in another run and give WPI its fourth double-digit run game of the year. 
 
In the fifth inning, with the bases loaded, O'Brien ripped a single to left that brought home a pair of runs to seal the 12-0 victory.  
 
Game Two
Game two meant another 10 run outing for the Engineers. WPI was the first to strike in the top of the third inning as Sheehan started the rally off with a two out bunt. She was driven in by a Russell double to deep right center. McKinney followed with a single to shortstop to get runners on the corners and Fairbairn brought home Russell with a single to left. O'Brien capped the inning with a double to left to bring in a pair and give WPI a 4-0 lead. 
 
Worcester State got its first run of the day in the bottom half of the third before WPI added another three runs in the fifth inning. Sheehan once again started things off with a single to third base and then stole second. Russell followed with a bunt single as Sheehan moved up to third on the play. With runners on the corners, Russell easily took second, setting up McKinney with a two RBI double to left. Fairbairn followed in the next at bat with a double to left bringing home McKinney and making it a 7-1 ballgame. 
 
The Lancers answered again in the bottom half of the fifth adding another run to its total but WPI added another duo of runs in the sixth behind a Russell single to center that brought home Lazarus and Kallie Case (Phoenix, AZ). 
 
The seventh saw another run for the Engineers, this time Case drove in O'Brien for the team's 10th run of the game. Worcester State was able to get one back in the bottom of the seventh but it wasn't enough as WPI came away with the sweep. 
 
Next Up
The Engineers continue their busy week with a NEWMAC doubleheader on Friday afternoon when they travel to Smith for a 3pm affair on April 19. Worcester State looks to bounce back at Bridgewater State on Saturday, April 20 with a 12:30pm start time to the doubleheader.