AUBURNDALE, Fla. (March 7) – The Waynesburg University baseball team squared off with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Tuesday in a nine-inning game at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. RPI built a 3-0 lead and went on to pick up a 7-3 win over the Yellow Jackets.
The Engineers (3-1-1) built their early advantage with a run in the first, a run in the second and one more in the third. Waynesburg (1-4) got on the board in the top of the fourth when sophomore
Bryce Bedilion (Clarksville, Pa. / Jefferson-Morgan) led off with a single and was doubled home by sophomore
Alec Engelmore (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Shaler).
After a scoreless fifth inning, RPI rebuilt a three-run advantage (4-1) with a score in the bottom of the sixth. The Jackets pulled back to within two runs of tying the score when freshman
Gavin Pratt (Carmichaels, Pa. / Carmichaels) singled, stole a base and eventually crossed home plate on a groundout by Bedilion in the top of the seventh.
Unfortunately for the Orange and Black, RPI tacked on two big runs in the bottom of the bottom of the inning and led 6-2.
Waynesburg took one last shot at a rally in the top of the eighth when they loaded the bases with no outs on the board. Senior
Todd Burner (Parkersburg, W.Va. / Parkersburg South) came into score on a double play ball and made the score 6-3. Unfortunately, the Engineers were able to snuff out the rally. RPI scored the game's final run in bottom of the eighth and kept the Jackets off the board in the ninth.
Four different Waynesburg hitters combined for five hits on the day. Pratt led the charge with a two-for-four performance.
Freshman
Dalton Lucey (Holbrook, Pa. / West Greene) made his first collegiate start and allowed four runs, all earned, on nine hits and a walk over 5.1 innings of work. Freshman
Ethan Erhard (Greensburg, Pa. / Hempfield) closed out the game on the mound.
The Jackets are off tomorrow before returning to the diamond on Thursday, March 9, for a nine-inning game against Trine. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
