Northboro, MA --- WPI baseball couldn't overcome a tough second inning, falling 14-4 to Johnson & Wales on Friday afternoon at the New England Baseball Complex. The Engineers dropped to 7-5 on the year, while the Wildcats improved to 7-8.

WPI was led offensively by Jacob Wiberg (Exeter, NH), who opened the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning. Miles Pratt (Hampton, NH) added two hits, an RBI, and a run scored, while Andrew Flamini (Shelton, CT) drove in a pair and Max Robison (Wrentham, MA) singled and scored.
 
On the mound for the Crimson and Gray, D.C. Brown (Plymouth, MA) suffered the loss, getting tagged for eight runs in three innings of work. Gage Nagy (Monroe, WA), Michael Domino (Marlboro, MA), and Sean Murphy (East Taunton, MA) combined for five shutout innings in relief.
 
Johnson & Wales was powered by a huge day from Henry Melanson (Belmont, MA), who went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, and six RBI. Jeff Valdez Jimenez (Boston, MA) launched two home runs, including a grand slam, and totaled five RBI. Yedan Diaz (Worcester, MA) added a three-run homer, while Ryan Schultz (Hebron, CT) earned the win with a clean fourth inning, striking out two.

Wiberg gave WPI a brief 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a solo shot up the middle. But the Wildcats responded with a massive eight-run second inning, fueled by three long balls. Melanson homered to right center for a two-run blast, then Jimenez followed with a grand slam to left center. Later in the frame, Melanson added a two-run single to center to make it 8-1.
 
In the fourth, Jimenez launched his second homer of the game, a solo shot to left, before Melanson ripped a two-run double down the line. Diaz capped the scoring with a three-run homer to left, pushing the lead to 14-1.
 
WPI pushed across a pair in the eighth on Flamini's two-run single, then tacked on one more in the ninth when Pratt singled home Joe DiMichele (East Longmeadow, MA), who had reached on a walk and advanced on an error.
 
WPI returns to the New England Sports Complex on Saturday to host Bridgewater State in a doubleheader starting at noon. Johnson & Wales hosts Norwich at 1pmon Saturday.