NORTON, Mass. – Senior center fielder AJ Guindon (Coventry, R.I.) was 3-5 with three runs batted in to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team over visiting Roger Williams University, 8-5, this afternoon at Sidell Stadium on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons improve to 17-11 on the season, while the Hawks slip to 22-9-1.
Wheaton collected 13 hits to mark their 13th contest with double-digits knocks.
Roger Williams' only lead in the game came after scoring in the top of the first before the Lyons came to bat. Wheaton matched the run in the bottom of the inning and took the lead for good with two runs in the third. The Lyons tacked on a run in the fourth and two more in the sixth to extend their margin to 6-2. Wheaton scored a pair of important insurance runs in the eighth to take a six-run lead at 8-2, before the Hawks rallied for three runs in the top of the ninth to cut the deficit to three.
Guindon also scored a pair of runs to give him 139 for his career to crack the Lyons' top-10 career list at number 10. First year catcher Tyler Bellan (Franklin, Mass.) registered the first four-hit effort of his career, going 4-4 with a double and three runs scored, while first year left fielder Shawn Cali (East Taunton, Mass.) was 2-4 with a double and a run scored. First year third baseman Casey Wensley (Raynham, Mass.) singled, scored a run, knocked in a run and stole a base to contribute for Wheaton. Sophomore starting pitcher Ben Oliveira (Somerset, Mass.) turned in a quality start to earn the win and improve to 4-2 after giving up two runs on five hits and a walk to go with six strikeouts in seven innings of work. Junior reliever Jackson Walsh (Cumberland, R.I.) picked up his second save of the season getting both batters he faced, including a called third strike to end the game.
First year designated hitter Chris Faraca (Peabody, Mass.) was 1-4 with a solo homer for Roger Williams and senior first baseman Aidan Hawley (Natick, Mass.) registered a two-run double and scored a run. Junior center fielder Owen Hibbard (Roxbury, Conn.) was 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored and junior right fielder Ty Cali (Taunton, Mass.) chipped in with a 2-4 effort, including a run scored. Junior right-hander Nick Gleason (Northboro, Mass.) suffered the loss to drop to 2-1 after giving up six runs (four earned) on nine hits and two walks in five and a third innings of work.
The Hawks strung together three straight hits in the top of the first to produce the first run of the day. Hibbard reached on an infield single and senior third baseman Jack Morin (North Andover, Mass.) followed with a single to center field to put runners on the corners with one out. Senior catcher London Camelo (Bristol, R.I.) ripped a double down the left field line to knock in Hibbard and give the visitors their only lead of the game at 1-0.
The Lyons matched the run in the bottom of the inning with some help from their guests. Guindon beat out a bunt single and later ended up on third following an errant pick-off throw that got far enough away for him to take two bases on the play. He trotted home on a balk and the game was knotted at 1-1.
Wheaton crossed the plate twice in the bottom of the third to take the lead for good at 3-1. Wensley opened the frame by getting nicked with a pitch and senior shortstop Mike Maher (Jefferson, Mass.) belted a ball to the left center gap that was out of the reach of the diving center fielder and rolled to the fence, enabling Maher to race around the bases to end up on third with an RBI triple. Junior designated hitter Kevin Matos (Lawrence, Mass.) served a single to right field to plate Maher and give the home team a two-run margin.
The Lyons kept the pressure on with another run in the fourth to go up 4-1. Bellan dumped a lead-off single into left field, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored the fourth run ahead of a single to center off the bat of Guindon.
Roger Williams got a run back in the sixth with one swing of the bat to cut the deficit to 4-2. Faraca hit a rocket line drive that landed over the left field fence with two outs for his first collegiate hit.
Wheaton responded by adding two runs in the bottom of the inning to increase its lead to 6-2. Cali, Bellan and junior second baseman Tommy Beauregard (Salem, Mass.) all singled to load the bases with one out for the Lyons. Guindon reached on a fielder's choice with Cali scoring on the play and Wensley pulled a single through the right side to plate Bellan and bump Wheaton's lead to four.
Bellan collected his fourth hit of the day when he smacked a double to left center field to open the eighth inning and scored easily on a single down the right field line off the bat of Guindon. Guindon advanced to second on another errant pick-off attempt and later scored the Lyons' eighth run on a passed ball.
Wheaton entered the top of the ninth with a seemingly comfortable lead, but the Hawks did their best to make it a little more uneasy, scoring three times in the inning after five batters all reached safely with one out. Junior Ethan Keeney (Harwich, Mass.) pushed a single through the right side, before Ty Cali ripped a single up the middle. Hawley followed with a two-run double to right center and advanced to third when the throw home was off the mark. Hibbard dropped a single into left to drive in Hawley with Roger Williams' fifth run. Morin drew a walk to put the tying run at the plate, but Walsh was able to get a slow grounder to third to result in a force out at the bag and then got a called strike three to end the threat and secure the victory.
The Lyons return to play on Tuesday, April 30 when they host Babson College in the final New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference game of the regular season at 3:30 at Sidell Stadium. The Hawks play on the same day and time when they head to nearby Newport, R.I. to take on Salve Regina University.
