Lyons score 11 runs on ten hits

NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College baseball team, ranked no.10 overall in the latest D3baseball.com national poll, claimed an 11-5 victory over Trinity (Conn.) College in non-conference action on Monday evening at Sidell Stadium.

Senior right-handed pitcher Corey Laliberte (Fall River, Mass./B.M.C. Durfee) scattered seven hits over five innings, yielded two runs (both earned), walked four and struck out one batter. Sophomore Mike Bisceglia (New Boston, N.H./Goffstown), freshman Eric Dumas (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) and junior Ryan Grant (Easton, Mass./Avon Old Farms) all pitched at least one scoreless inning in relief for the Lyons.

Trinity sophomore left-hander Robert Gau (Westport, Conn./Staples) did not record an out, gave up two runs (one earned) and issued two free passes in the loss.

Wheaton jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning on three hits, one error and one runner left on base. Senior Sean Ryan (Norton, Mass./Norton) and sophomore Tyler Contillo (Montville, Conn./Montville) both came home on a throwing error into left field to open up the scoring. Senior Eric Jensen (Gorham, N.H./Gorham) added an RBI double down the left field line, sophomore Matt Lavanchy (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) ripped a run-producing triple to center field and sophomore Justin Peluso (North Andover, Mass./Saint John's Prep) lined an RBI single up the middle to cap the offensive outburst.

Sophomore Apolinar De la Cruz (Providence, R.I./Classical) pushed Wheaton's advantage to 6-0 in the second with a fielder's choice RBI as he broke up a double play. Jensen collected his second RBI of the contest with a base knock to center field plating Contillo.

In the third, sophomore Kevin Foley (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug) knocked in a pair of runs with a single to left field. Foley also came around to score later in the frame as Ryan reached on a throwing error.

The Bantams chipped away at their deficit eventually making it a 10-5 game with solo runs in the third and fourth innings and three more runs in the sixth. Freshman Matthew Mortimer (Worcester, Mass./Worcester Academy) highlighted Trinity's offense in the sixth inning with a two-run single up the middle scoring seniors Joe Papa (Stoneham, Mass./Buckingham, Brown & Nichols) and Michael Rueger (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck). Classmate Evan Sternberg (Glen Ridge, N.J./Glen Ridge) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded producing the final run of the frame.

Wheaton (17-6, 10-1 NEWMAC) hosts WPI for a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) clash at 3:30 p.m. Trinity (14-9, 5-1 NESCAC) welcomes Tufts University to its campus on Friday, April 12 for a conference matchup at 3:00 p.m.