Northboro, MA --- The WPI baseball team's late push came up short on Thursday afternoon, as Suffolk used a six-run fourth inning to defeat the Engineers, 8-6, at the New England Baseball Complex. WPI moves to 8-2 on the season, while the Rams improve to 1-8.
 
Matt Shea (Salem, NH) led the Engineers offensively with three hits and three RBI, including a two-run single in the ninth inning that brought WPI within striking distance. Jacob Wiberg (Exeter, NH) added two hits and scored twice, while Zachary Roethlein (Pomfret Center, CT) recorded two hits and an RBI. Liam Keblin (Newton, MA) chipped in a double, an RBI, and a pair of walks.
 
Suffolk was paced by Colin Flynn (Dorchester, MA), who scored three times and drove in a run, while Jack Mihalchik (Wilkes-Barre, PA) collected two hits and an RBI. Sam Armbruster (Beverly, MA) added two hits and an RBI, and Sebastian Lampert (Portsmouth, NH) drove in a run. Anthony Ferreira (Taunton, MA) earned the win for the Rams, tossing seven innings and allowing four runs on six hits while striking out six.
 
Suffolk struck first in the opening inning on an RBI groundout from Lampert and broke the game open in the fourth, capitalizing on walks and WPI miscues to plate six runs and take a 7-0 lead.
 
WPI began to chip away in the fifth inning as Keblin delivered an RBI double and Shea followed with a run-scoring groundout to cut the deficit to 7-2.
 
The Rams added an unearned run in the sixth to extend the lead to 8-2, but the Engineers continued to battle late. Roethlein sparked a rally in the eighth with an RBI double down the left-field line, and Greyson Baldizar (Seekonk, MA) followed with an RBI groundout to make it 8-4.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, Wiberg worked a leadoff walk before Joe DiMichele (East Longmeadow, MA) doubled to right center to put two runners in scoring position. After a walk to Keblin loaded the bases, Shea delivered a two-run single to left to bring the Engineers within 8-6 and put the tying run aboard. The Engineers then lined into a double play to halt the rally, and despite a two-out single from Roethlein, WPI could not complete the comeback.
 
Luke Blandino (Eden, NY) took the loss for WPI, while Robert Runge (Manasquan, NJ) and Lennon Richman (St. Thomas, VI) combined for six innings of relief, allowing just one run.
 
WPI returns to action on Friday, March 20, hosting Fitchburg State at 3:30pm. at the New England Baseball Complex. Suffolk next travels to Tufts for a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1pm.