WORCESTER, Mass. -- The Wheaton College (Mass.) softball team was edged in 10 innings, 2-1, by Worcester Polytechnic Institute to complete a sweep in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play this afternoon at Rooftop Field in Worcester, Mass. The Lyons drop to 11-9 overall and 3-3 in conference play, while the Engineers improve to 13-11 and 3-3.

Senior shortstop Katelyn Barton (Andover, N.H.) knocked in the only Wheaton run with a single, while first year right fielder Jillian Rohon (Southington, Conn.) was 1-3. First year Erica Piercey (North Branford, Conn.) registered a pinch-hit single. Senior Emma Candelaria (Hampton Bays, N.Y.) (6-2) was the tough-luck losing pitcher, giving up two unearned runs on four hits and a walk to go with four strikeouts in nine and two-thirds innings of work for the Lyons.

Sophomore right fielder Kallie Case (Phoenix, Ariz.) paced WPI, going 2-3 with a double and a run batted in, while first year first base Kelly Pritchard (Orange, Conn.) was 1-3. First year third base Shaina Lazarus (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) was 1-4 with a run scored. Graduate student starting pitcher Katie Martin (Bedord, N.H.) was the game one winner as well and earned the win again to improve to 9-4 after giving up one unearned run on five hits and a pair of walks to go with eight strikeouts in 10 innings.

The Engineers scored the winning run when Lazarus was placed on second as part of the international tie-breaking procedure. She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scampered home on a sacrifice fly to left field from Diaz.

Neither team was able to advance a runner past second base through the first seven innings of play. WPI's best chance at making any noise came in the bottom of the second. Lazarus singled to lead off the inning and two outs later tried to advance to third on a single off the bat of Case, but was thrown out at third by Wheaton left fielder Juliette Zito (Woodbridge, Conn.) to end the frame. The Lyons put together a pair of hits in the seventh for the only other half inning in the game that featured more than one hit. Rohon reached on an infield single to open the inning. Piercey later singled through the left side with two outs to put runners on first and second, but Martin got out of the inning for the Engineers with a fly out to center field.

Wheaton threatened to score in the top of the 10th when sophomore Sofia Knopf (Norton, Mass.) pinch-ran at second base to start the inning, went to third on a passed ball, but was cut down at the plate on a ground out to the pitcher.

The Lyons finally broke into the scoring column with a run in the eighth inning. Senior Lilly Laganiere (Rochester, N.H.) pinch-ran at second base to start the inning and went to third on a Zito a sacrifice bunt, before Barton singled down the right field line to bring home the first run of the game. WPI answered with a run in their half of the eighth to keep the game going. Diaz was placed on second to start the frame and scored on a double down the left field line off the bat of Case. Candelaria set down the next three batters to keep it a 1-1 game.

Wheaton returns to action on Tuesday, April 12 when it travels to Providence, R.I. to take on Johnson & Wales University at 4:00 p.m. in doubleheader action, while the Engineers head to Bridgewater, Mass. on April 13 to play Bridgewater State University at 3:30 p.m.