NORTON, Mass. -- Senior right fielder Jake Studley (Barrington, R.I.) delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the ninth to give the Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team a 6-5 victory over visiting Emerson College this afternoon in a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference contest at Sidell Stadium on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass. The Lyons win their fifth in a row to improve to 18-10 overall and 8-3 in league play, while Emerson drops to 9-18 and 2-9.

There were four lead changes in the game before the home team took the lead for good in the ninth.

Studley was 1-4 with a walk, a run scored and two runs batted in, while senior catcher Zach DeMattio (North Attleboro, Mass.) was 2-4 with a home run, a double, two RBI and a run scored to pace Wheaton offense. First year Anthony Teberio (Anover, Mass.) was 1-3 with a double and two runs batted in. First year righty reliever Jackson Walsh (Cumberland, R.I.) picked up his first career victory with an inning of no-hit relief. Senior right-handed starter Stephen Quigley (Halifax, Mass.) gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks, while fanning nine batters in six innings.

Senior Lou Davolio (Worcester, Mass.) was 2-4 with a homer and drove in all five of Emerson's runs, while first year second baseman Biggs Loveland (Burleson, Texas) and junior first baseman Matt Machamie (Merrick, N.Y.) were both 2-4 with a run scored for the Lions. Sophomore right-handed reliever Benny Guevara (Hobart, Ind.) (2-2) was unable to get an out in the ninth inning and was saddled with the loss after giving up two runs on two hits and two hit batters. Sophomore starting hurler Ty Bourne (Tappan, N.Y.) gave up four runs on four hits and three bases on balls in five and two-thirds innings, while striking out a batter for Emerson.

Facing a 5-4 deficit entering the ninth inning, the Lyons loaded the bases with no outs before Studley's heroics. Sophomore pinch-hitter Will Haskell (Natick, Mass.) was hit by a pitch to start the frame, before he was lifted for sophomore pinch-runner Tommy Ambrosone (Hopkinton, Mass.). Ambrosone stole second and advanced to third ahead of a single from sophomore center fielder AJ Guindon (Coventry, R.I.) to put runners on the corners. Junior second baseman Mike Maher (Jefferson, Mass.) was also hit by a pitch to load the bases. Studley came to the plate and laced the second pitch he saw for a two-run single through the left side to score Ambrosone and Guindon with the tying and winning runs.

The Lions got on the board first in the top of the first with a pair of runs for a 2-0 margin. Senior right fielder Quinton Copeland (Houston, Texas) struck out to open the game, but was able to reach on a wild pitch on the third strike. Loveland followed with a single and both runners moved into scoring position on a throwing error with no outs. Quigley looked to work around the miscues, setting the next two batters down on strikes, but Davolio came through with a two-run single through the right side to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.

Wheaton cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the second with a run to make it 2-1. Senior first baseman Drew Spirito (Cranston, R.I.) was hit by a pitch to open the inning, moved to second on a single from junior third baseman Nick Croteau (Cumberland, R.I.) and went to second on a wild pitch before scoring on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Teberio.

The Lyons scored three times in the bottom of the sixth to take their first lead of the game at 4-2. Studley drew a leadoff walk and DeMattio blasted a one-strike pitch for a two-run homer over the right-center field fence for his fifth long ball of the season and his third in the last four games to give Wheaton a 3-2 edge. The Lyons added another run later in the frame when junior shortstop Cavan Brady (Great Barrington, Mass.) stung a single up the middle, stole second and came around to score on a two-out double down the left field line off the bat of Teberio to plate the home team's fourth run for a two-run lead.

Emerson reclaimed the lead with three runs in the eighth to take a 5-4 lead. Juniors Thai Morgan (Waldwick, N.J.) and Matt Nachamie (Merrick, N.Y.) smacked back-to-back singles before Davolio hit a one-out homer over the right field fence for his fourth homer of the year and a 5-4 lead for the visiting Lions.

Wheaton and Emerson return to Sidell Stadium tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. for a NEWMAC doubleheader to conclude the three-game set. The Lions will be the home team, despite playing the game at the Lyons' home field.