AUBURNDALE, Fla. - The Worcester State University baseball team won its third straight game on Tuesday, defeating SUNY Poly by a final score of 16-5 in non-conference action at Lake Myrtle Sports Park.

With the win, the Lancers improve to 3-2 overall on the season. SUNY Poly drops to 2-3 on its young season.

Worcester State jumped out to an early lead with single runs in the first and second innings, but the Wildcats responded in the top of the third with a bases-clearing double from Alex Winchell. 

Still trailing 3-2 heading to the bottom of the fourth, Worcester State exploded offensively for seven runs in the inning to take a 9-3 lead. Senior Sam Allen (Springfield, Mass.) opened the scoring in the inning with an RBI single, and the offense was off and running from there. Michael Chaves Jr. (Hudson, Mass.), Ben Palatino (Hudson, Mass.), and Michael Ferrara (Easton, Mass.) all drove in runs before junior Kevin Larkin (Rocky Hill, Conn.) capped off the inning with a two-run double.

Worcester State added some more insurance with a four-run seventh, which culminated in a two-run home run off of Ferrara's bat, his second long ball of the trip, putting Worcester State on top 13-5.

The Lancers scored three more in the bottom of the eighth, all unearned, to go ahead by a score of 16-5. Pitcher Chris Elliott (Plymouth, Mass.) shut the door in the ninth with a pair of strikeouts to close out the win.

Freshman Joey Zawisza (Newington, Conn.) picked up the win for Worcester State on the hill, throwing five innings and allowing three earned on five hits while striking out seven. Palatino led the Lancers with three hits in the game, while also driving in two and scoring twice. Senior Seth Leslie (Phillipston, Mass.) scored three runs in the win, while Ferrara finished with two hits, two runs, and three RBIs.

Worcester State will be off on Wednesday before returning to action Thursday to take on Lesley in Florida at 1 p.m.

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