NORTON, Mass. – Junior right-handed starting pitcher Liam Goldthwaite (Braintree, Mass.) did not allow a run on four hits in six and a third innings, while senior third baseman Nick Croteau (Cumberland, R.I.) hit a two-run home run to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team over visiting University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 7-1, this afternoon at Sidell Stadium on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.

The Lyons, who received votes in the most recent D3baseball.com national poll, win their seventh straight game to improve to 9-2 on the season. The game was their opener at Sidell Stadium, but the team's contest at New England Baseball Complex on March 6 was also considered a home contest to give Wheaton a 2-0 mark at home this season and extend its home win streak to 28 consecutive games for the longest such streak in the nation – regardless of division. The Lyons last defeat at home was a 16-7 loss to Babson College on May 4, 2019 in the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference Tournament.

The Corsairs fall to 9-4 on the year. 

Wheaton out-hit UMass Dartmouth, 14-5, and struck out just once as a team. The Lyons scored three times in both the first and seventh innings, while also scoring a single run in the second. The Corsairs' lone run came with two outs in the ninth inning.

Goldthwaite improves to 3-0 and struck out four in the outing for Wheaton. Croteau knocked in a pair of runs and scored twice, while senior second baseman Mike Maher (Jefferson, Mass.) became the 19th player in school history to register five or more hits in a game, going 5-5 with a double and two runs scored. Junior center fielder AJ Guindon (Coventry, R.I.), senior catcher Robert Wirtanen (Brentwood, N.H.) and sophomore first baseman Anthony Teberio (Andover, Mass.) all collected two singles apiece and knocked in a run each for the Lyons. 

Junior designated hitter Matt Tempone (Smithtown, N.Y.) led the Corsairs with a single and an RBI-triple, while junior catcher T.J. Keefe (Weymouth, Mass.) was 2-3 with a run scored and a walk. Senior shortstop DJ Perron (Swansea, Mass.) also contributed with a double. Junior righty Will Pacheco (Franklin, Mass.) suffered the loss to drop to 1-1 after allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks in two innings of work. 

Wheaton got on the board in the bottom of the first when Guindon led off with a single to center field and Maher followed with a double down the left field line to put both runners in scoring position. Croteau reached on an error to load the bases before senior shortstop Cavan Brady (Jefferson, Mass.) plated Guindon with a sacrifice fly to left field. Wirtanen knocked in the Lyons' second run with a single through the left side, before Croteau scored on a wild pitch for a three-run lead. 

Wheaton increased its lead to 4-0 with a run in the bottom of the second. Junior right fielder Tommy Ambrosone (Hopkinton, Mass.) drew a leadoff walk before moving to third on a failed pick off attempt that got away from the UMD first baseman. Guindon made the Corsairs pay with a single to left to bring home Ambrosone.

Maher opened the seventh with a single to left center for the Lyons before Croteau delivered his first homer of the season over the right field fence to give Wheaton a 6-0 advantage. Brady followed with an infield single, stole second, went to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single to left off the bat of Teberio to give the Lyons their seventh run.

UMD prevented the shutout when Keefe worked a walk and later scored on a two-out triple off the right field fence from Tempone.

Wheaton and UMass Dartmouth both return to action tomorrow when the teams meet in Dartmouth, Mass. for a 3:45 first pitch.