Norton, Mass. – May 8, 2021 – After eleven innings of a tightly contested game two, Zach DeMattio (North Attleboro, Mass.) was able to give Wheaton the win, 2-1, on a deep fly ball with the bases loaded. The Lyons also edged out Coast Guard Academy in game one, winning by a score of 3-1. Wheaton moves to 14-2 on the year and will play Babson in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Final next weekend.

Game 1: Wheaton 3, Coast Guard 1:

Senior Gavin Reily (Bridgewater, Mass.) was magnificent, going eight innings while only allowing one run to get the win for the Lyons. Reily struckout nine Coast Guard hitters and only walked two batters. Josh Roberge (Chelmsford, Mass.) came on in the ninth to shutdown the Bears and record his fourth save on the year.

Coast Guard started the scoring in the top of the second inning, as Charles Red singled to left field to score Cody Fidler. Wheaton responded back to tie the game in the bottom of the inning as Andrew Spirito (Cranston, R.I.) was able to score on an overthrow to first base.

Nobody scored until the sixth inning when DeMattio homered off Coast Guard starter Nate Ralph to give the Lyons a 2-1 lead. Ralph pitched well for the Bears, going 7.1 innings, but was tagged with the loss. Wheaton added a huge insurance run in the eighth to take a 3-1 lead, as DeMattio was able to score on a wild pitch.

DeMattio was 1 for 3 with the homerun and two runs scored in the game. Spirito was 2 for 4 with a run scored, while both Brody Ashley (Strafford, N.H.) and George Mulcahey (Brooklyn, N.Y.) also collected two hits for the Lyons.


Game 2: Wheaton 2, Coast Guard 1 (12 innings):

Starter Griffin Young (Dover, N.H.) took a no-hitter into the seventh inning. Young had his slider and fastball baffling Coast Guard hitters but was not able to get any run support. The junior ended up giving up just one run in eight full innings of work and struck out 11.

The game was knotted at zero until the Bears finally got to Young in the seventh and were able to capitalize on a Greg Boland single through the right side to take a 1-0 lead.

Wheaton struggled all game offensively to break through, but they responded with their backs against the wall in the eighth inning, when Spirito hit a sacrifice fly to score pinch runner Cody Cavanagh (Holyoke, Mass.) to even the score at one.

Both teams had chances in the ninth and in extras, but no one could plate a run. Zach Begin (Georgetown, Mass.) threw a scoreless ninth inning before giving way to Paul Prue (Dennis, Mass.) in the tenth. Prue walked the first batter but was able to get an out before Zach Clesas (Johnston, R.I.) was called upon. Cleses walked another runner and Wheaton called upon Roberge again to get them out of trouble. The senior was able to get two quick outs to give his team a chance to win it in the tenth.

Roberge went on to pitch a total of 2.2 scoreless innings for the Lyons and recorded the win.

In the twelfth inning Stephen Quigley (Halifax, Mass.) led off with a line drive base hit over the shortstops head. Then, both Ashley and pinch hitter Sean Helfrich (Coventry, R.I.) were able to reach base safely on bunts. Then with one out, DeMattio was able to score Ashley to send Wheaton to the NEWMAC Final.

DeMattio had the one big hit to highlight the Lyons offensively. Jacob Studley (Barrington, R.I.) was 3 for 6 in the game while Ashley added another two hits and scored the game-winning run.

The Lyons will travel to Babson to play a best of three series that will start next Saturday, May 15th at 12 p.m.

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