Game #1 - Albion (MI) 4, WPI 3
Game #2 - WPI 9, Albion (MI) 6

Game #1 Box Score
Game #2 Box Score  

Port Charlotte, FL --- In its final day of spring break competition, the WPI baseball team split a twin bill with Albion College (MI).  The Engineers dropped a 4-3 decision before rebounding for a 9-6 win in the nightcap. 

In game one, WPI managed just five hits and trailed 4-0 until the seventh inning when with two outs rallied for three runs to come within just one of Albion.  The inning began with a quick groundout and strikeout to put the Crimson and Gray into an immediate hole.  The Engineers battled back beginning with walks from Cody McGregor (Westfield, MA) and Jameson Kokolis (Manchester, NH).  Junior Ethan Brown (Lunenburg, MA) stepped up to the plate and poked a single to center field to plate McGregor.  Kokolis came around on a wild pitch while pinch runner Scott MacDonald (Gorham, ME) got WPI back to within one when he scored on a Watkins single up the middle.  However, the comeback came just short when the inning and game ended on a strikeout.

Paul Galligan (Weymouth, MA), Ryan Rainone (Oakville, CT) and Mike Swanton (Foxboro, MA) all tallied hits for the Crimson and Gray while Ryan Smalanskas (Shrewsbury, MA) absorbed the loss on the mound.  Smalanskas allowed four runs on ten hits while striking out three in six innings pitched.

The Engineers used a five run fourth inning to take an 8-2 lead and eventual win over Albion in game two of the doubleheader.  Swanton highlighted the six hit inning with a two RBI double to left center that scored Rainone and Galligan who had gotten aboard via a single and double, respectively.  McGregor, Bryan Watkins (Belmont, MA) and Lyle Miller (Milford, CT) all contributed hits in the inning.

McGregor had a great game at the plate going 2-for-4 with four RBI while Galligan was 2-for-4 with two RBI.  Swanton finished 1-for-2 with two RBI.

Ryan Marques (Gloucester, MA) was tabbed with the win for the Engineers, his second of the season.  In 4.2 innings Marques yielded four runs on seven hits while striking out six.  Alex Hansen (Burlington, CT) pitched 1.1 innings of relief and allowed two runs while Brian Duncan (West Suffield, CT) closed the door on Albion with one strikeout in the seventh inning.

Baseball returns home with a record of 6-5 and will kick off their New England schedule on Tuesday, March 18th when they host Johnson & Wales beginning at 3:30pm.