AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Senior center fielder AJ Guindon (Coventry, R.I.) clubbed a home run and drove in four runs to lead the No. 18 Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team over Ripon College, 6-2, this afternoon at Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale, Fla. as part of the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.
The Lyons improve to 1-1 on the season, while the Red Hawks fall to 2-3.
Ripon held a one-run lead twice in the game, before Wheaton scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead for good and added three insurance runs in the seventh. All nine batters collected at least one hit for Wheaton to contribute to a total of 10 for the game.
Guindon was 2-4 with a run scored for the Lyons, while junior left fielder Kevin Matos (Lawrence, Mass.) and junior first baseman Timmy Wagner (Hingham, Mass.) each knocked in a run. Senior shortstop Mike Maher (Jefferson, Mass.) tripled and drew a walk and senior right fielder Tommy Ambrosone (Hopkinton, Mass.) scored a pair of runs. Junior relief pitcher Jackson Walsh (Cumberland, R.I.) earned the victory with three and a third innings of two-hit ball to go with a strikeout and no walks. Junior Joe Mulhern (Taunton, Mass.) nailed down the win with one and two-thirds innings of shutout, one-hit ball that included a strikeout.
First year designated hitter Crete Slattery was 2-3 (Lake Geneva, Wis.) with a double and a walk to help pace the Red Hawks and sophomore right fielder Jack Anderson (Oconomowoc, Wis.) drove in a run, while reaching base three times with a single and two walks. Senior right-handed starting pitcher Blaine Whalen (Adams, Wis.) suffered the loss to drop to 1-1 after allowing three runs on seven hits, while striking out three.
Wheaton faced a 2-1 deficit heading into the bottom of the fifth before scoring a pair of runs to take a 3-2 edge. Sophomore third baseman Ray Toth (Granby, Mass.) served a single to left for his first collegiate hit to lead off the frame, before first year catcher Tyler Bellan (Franklin, Mass.) hit a high chopper over the third basemen's head for his first career hit as well. Junior second baseman Tommy Beauregard (Salem, Mass.) moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt to set up Guindon for the go-ahead runs. Guindon ripped a two-run single up the middle to plate both runners and give the Lyons a one-run lead.
Wheaton rallied for three runs with two outs in the seventh to increase its advantage to 6-2. Beauregard reached on a two-out single through the left side, before Guindon crushed a pitch over the left field fence to make it 5-2. The Lyons used aggressive baserunning to add one more run when Ambrosone was hit by a pitch and later scored from second on an infield single to shortstop off the bat of Matos.
Ripon got on the board first with a run in the second after taking advantage of an error and working three straight walks to force in a run. First year third baseman Brock Peterson (Manitowoc, Wis.) reached on a throwing error by the pitcher with two outs, before junior catcher Kaleb Burns (Paulden, Ariz.) and sophomore second baseman Alex Pankratz (Waupaca, Wis.) each drew walks to load the bases. Anderson also received a free pass to push home the first run of the game.
Wheaton evened the game with a run in the bottom of the fourth thanks to some timely hitting. Ambrosone singled sharply through the right side and advanced to second on a wild pitch, before Wagner belted a two-out single to left to tie the game at 1-1.
The Red Hawks responded immediately with a run in the top of the fifth to reclaim the lead at 2-1. Terrell cracked a double down the left field line and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Hickman was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners to set up Ripon's second and last run of the day. Hickman made a bid to steal second with the Lyons electing to throw through to second base, which allowed Terrell to scamper home on the high throw to second base.
The Lyons return to action tomorrow when they take on Spalding University at 9:15 a.m. at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex, while the Red Hawks play Rutgers University-Camden at 7:00 p.m.
