NORTON, Mass. — Senior third baseman Nick Croteau (Cumberland, R.I.) slugged a three-run homer to lead the No. 17 Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team in game one over visiting Springfield College, 5-2, this afternoon in a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference doubleheader at Sidell Stadium on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.

The Lyons, who are ranked in the most recent D3baseball.com and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper national polls, improve to 17-4 overall and 4-0 in league play, while the Pride fall to 7-12-1 and 1-3.

The Lyons scored the first five runs of the game, including four in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-0 lead, before Springfield picked up a pair of runs in the fifth to cut the deficit to 5-2 and cap the scoring for game one.

Croteau was 2-4 with three runs batted in, a walk and a run scored in game one for Wheaton, while junior center fielder AJ Guindon (Coventry, R.I.) turned in his second four-hit effort of the season and third of his career in addition to a pair of runs scored and a walk. Senior catcher Robert Wirtanen (Brentwood, N.H.) and sophomore designated hitter Tommy Beauregard (Salem, Mass.) were both 2-4 to contribute to the cause. Right-handed sophomore starting pitcher Ryan McCarroll (Clifton Park, N.Y.) gave up two runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out six in five innings to earn the win and improve to 5-1 for the home team. The bullpen combined to hurl four innings of no-hit ball, including a three-out save from senior closer Max Pierce (Scituate, R.I.), who fanned a batter to get his third save of the year.

Cadin Maynard (Waterford, Conn.) and Michael Barrett (Longmeadow, Mass.) each registered three hits on the day to pace Springfield.

Senior third baseman Joe Traversa (Pittsfield, Mass.) knocked in a pair of runs with a double and junior catcher Ryan Sorgi (Braintree, Mass.) collected two hits in four at-bats to lead the Pride. Senior righty Blake Roberge (Warwick, R.I.) suffered the loss for his first loss against two wins after allowing five runs on six hits and five walks in addition to a strikeout in three and a third innings pitched.

Guindon legged out a triple to left center to open the bottom of the first and scored on a deep pop up behind second base off the bat of senior shortstop Cavan Brady (Sheffield, Mass.) to put the Lyons on the board.

Wheaton opened the game up with four more runs in the fourth inning to take a 5-0 advantage. First year right fielder Marcus Ollivierre (Milton, Mass.) and Guindon drew consecutive walks before senior second baseman Mike Maher (Jefferson, Mass.) laced a single through the left side to bring home Ollivierre with the second Lyon run. Croteau delivered the big blow with a home run over the right field fence for his second long ball of the season and a five-run lead for the home team.

Springfield cracked the scoring column with a pair of runs in the fifth to pull to within 5-2. Junior right fielder Andrew McCarty (Meriden, Conn.) reached on a two-out infield single and sophomore second baseman Max Giacco (Meriden, Conn.) worked a walk before Traversa belted a double to right center to plate both runners with the Prides' only scoring for the contest.