FORT MYERS, Fla. - Despite three hits on the afternoon from graduate student Jake Montas (Ellington, Conn.), the Western Connecticut State University baseball squad dropped a pair of games during its Florida trip on Sunday. They were edged in the opener to Augustana, 7-4, courtesy of a three-run walk-off homer before falling to Franklin & Marshall, 31-3. 

In Game One, WestConn senior starting pitcher Pauly DiPaterio (Cortland Manor, N.Y.) tossed eight innings of solid work while striking out four but came away with the tough luck loss after walking the lead off batter in the bottom of the ninth with the score deadlocked at 4-4. The Wolves then went to the bullpen. However, the Vikings got a single before junior Kyle Campbell (St. Charles, Ill.) smacked a three-run shot over the wall, cementing Augustana's 10th win of the season. 

Seniors Joe Brunelli (Roxbury, Conn.) and Nick Lepere (Beacon, N.Y.) each finished 2-for-4 with RBI for the Wolves. 

Trailing 9-0 to Franklin & Marshall in Game Two, the WestConn highlight of the game came when junior Jesse Dunn (Bedford, N.Y.) ripped a triple to center field, scoring a pair of runners. He came around to cross the plate when Montas ripped an RBI groundout, cutting the deficit to 9-3 in the second inning. 

But the Diplomats were just too much for the Wolves. They racked up eight more runs in the third before putting up a pair of six-run spots in the sixth and seventh frames. 

With the pair of losses, WestConn dropped to 2-6 overall. Augustana now stands at 10-2, while Franklin & Marshall improved to 5-8. The Wolves return to action tomorrow for a doubleheader against the University of Wisconsin-Stout at Terry Park.