WORCESTER -- The WPI softball team continued its historic start with a pair of comeback victories over Wheaton on Friday at Rooftop Field, winning 5-4 and 6-5 to improve to 16-0 (4-0 NEWMAC), while the Lyons fall to 9-7 (0-2 NEWMAC).
 
The Engineers, receiving votes in the latest NFCA/GoRout Division III Top 25, totaled 22 hits across the doubleheader, rallying late in both contests to extend the best start in program history. Abby Merchant (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) anchored the pitching staff, earning two wins on the day including four scoreless innings of relief in the opener.
 
Game One
WPI used a late surge to erase a three-run deficit and walk off Wheaton, 5-4, in the opener.
 
Lucy Latour (North Dighton, MA) led the Engineers with two hits including a home run and two runs scored, while Riley O'Brien (Wynantskill, NY) homered and drove in two runs. Sandy Fairbairn (Norton, MA) added two hits, and Ariana Kreuzer (Walpole, MA) delivered a key RBI single as WPI tallied 11 hits.
 
Merchant earned the win in relief, tossing four scoreless innings with three strikeouts after Naomi Boldebuck (Billerica, MA) started and allowed four runs over three innings.
 
Wheaton was paced by Ella Molinari (Grafton, MA), who drove in two runs, while Riley Dolan (Coram, NY) added an RBI. Sofia De La Rosa (Middle Village, NY) took the loss despite going the distance, allowing five runs on 11 hits.
 
Wheaton struck first with two runs in the second, as Dolan delivered an RBI single to score Boucher before Bryan came home on a wild pitch to make it 2-0. After Latour cut the deficit in half with a solo home run in the third, the Lyons added two more in the fourth on a Molinari single to right that brought home Arcand and Miller for a 4-1 lead.
 
WPI began its comeback in the sixth when O'Brien launched a solo home run and Kreuzer followed with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 4-3. In the seventh, Stella Kozak (Auburn, NH) tied the game with an RBI single before O'Brien lifted a sacrifice fly to center to bring home Latour for the walk-off win.
 
Game Two
The Engineers completed the sweep with another comeback, edging Wheaton 6-5.
 
Virginia McKinney (Larchmont, NY) recorded two hits including a double and an RBI, while Emma Nagy (Monroe, WA) tripled and drove in two runs. Kozak added two RBI, and Kreuzer chipped in an RBI as WPI once again produced timely offense.
 
Merchant earned her second win of the day, allowing five runs, three earned, over five innings while striking out four. Kaitlyn Barr (Grosse Pointe Woods, MI) picked up the save, tossing two scoreless innings in relief.
 
Wheaton was led by Peyton Blankenheim-Brown (Rio Linda, CA), who went 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Amber Arcand (Millville, MA) and Julia Miller (Cheshire, CT) each collected three hits and drove in a run. Blankenheim-Brown took the loss in the circle.
 
The Lyons jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on RBI doubles from Blankenheim-Brown and Boucher, but WPI answered with four runs in the bottom half. McKinney doubled home Latour to get the Engineers on the board before Nagy tripled down the right-field line to score O'Brien and McKinney. Kozak followed with an RBI double to plate Nagy and give WPI a 4-2 advantage.
 
Wheaton rallied with three runs in the fifth to take a 5-4 lead, as Blankenheim-Brown singled home Molinari before Miller and Arcand each delivered RBI singles. WPI responded in the bottom of the inning when Kozak reached on a sacrifice bunt and throwing error that allowed Fairbairn to score the tying run, with Kozak advancing and the eventual go-ahead run also crossing on the same play.
 
Barr closed the game by stranding the tying run in the seventh, securing the sweep for WPI.
 
WPI returns to action on Saturday with a NEWMAC doubleheader against Emerson at Rooftop Field beginning at noon, while Wheaton hosts Smith for a conference doubleheader at noon.
 
Game 1 Box Score
 
Game 2 Box Score