NORTON, Mass. — Sophomore starting pitcher Peyton Brown-Blankenheim (Rio Linda, Calif.) scattered eight hits and allowed just one run to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) softball team to a 6-1 victory this afternoon in the nightcap of a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference twinbill at Clark Softball Field on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.

The Lyons have won three straight and six of their last seven to improve to 10-9 overall and a perfect 4-0 in NEWMAC play for their best conference start since 2015 when they won their first 11 league contests to begin the slate. The Pioneers fall to 6-7-1 and 0-2.

Smith outhit its host, 8-6, and Wheaton committed three errors, but Blankenheim-Brown was able to keep the Pioneers from crossing the plate, sans one run. 

The Lyons took a 2-0 lead with the first two runs of the game coming in the button of the first inning. Smith made it a one-run affair with a single run in the top of the sixth, but Wheaton scored four times in the bottom of the frame to give the home team the distance it needed for the victory.

First year shortstop Ella Molinari (Grafton, Mass.), first year designated player Taylor Barry (Hadley, Mass.) and Blankenheim-Brown all singled and drove in a run to pace the Lyons' offense. Junior right fielder Juliette Zito (Woodbridge, Conn.) was 2-3 with a double and a pair of runs scored. Blankenheim-Brown did not issue a walk and struck out two batters in seven complete innings to improve to 2-2 on the year.

Senior first base Juno Shantz (Seattle, Wash.) led the Pioneers at the plate, going 3-3 with a pair of doubles and a run batted in, while senior designated player Lucy Helms (Alameda, Calif.) was 2-3 with a run scored. First year starting pitcher Bailey Gray (Missouri City, Texas) was saddled with the loss to drop to 2-1 after yielding six runs (three earned) on six hits and a walk to go with five strikeouts.

Wheaton rapped out four of its six hits for the game in the sixth inning. Junior center fielder Grace DiBacco (Selkirk, N.Y.) drew a lead-off walk, before stealing second base. Zito followed with a single up the middle and advanced to second on the throw to put both runners in scoring position with no outs. Barry came through with a single through the left side to drive in DiBacco and give the Lyons a 3-1 margin. Senior third base Lindsey Oliveira (Westport, Mass.) hit a deep fly ball to right that was misplayed by the right fielder, allowing Zito and Barry to score the fourth and fifth runs of the game. Blankenheim helped her own cause, driving in another insurance run with a single through the left side to plate Oliveira and give Wheaton a five-run advantage heading into the top of the seventh inning.

Smith looked to rally in the seventh with two hits and a Lyon error, but were kept off the board to seal the win for the home team. First year catcher Lucy Allen (West Boylston, Mass.)  and first year second base Taz Tamai (Cincinnati, Ohio) collected back-to-back singles to open the seventh for the Pioneers. Two outs later, junior shortstop Piper Corey (Phoenix, Ariz.) reached on an infield error to load the bases, but Blankenheim-Brown induced a ground out to second to end the threat and the game.

Wheaton wasted no time getting on the board in the bottom of the first after Zito cracked a double to left, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single up the middle off the bat of Molinari. Molinari stole second and advanced to third on a ground out before Oliveira hit a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home Molinari to give the Lyons a 2-0 lead.

Smith's lone run of the day came in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit in half at 2-1. Helms ripped a single up the middle with two outs and Shantz doubled to left field to break up the shutout and give the Pioneer's their first run with Helms scoring.

Wheaton returns to play on Sunday, April 7 at 12:00 p.m. when it returns to Clark Softball Field to play NEWMAC rival Clark University in a doubleheader that will be designated a pair of home contests for the Cougars. Smith will play again tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. when it hosts league foe Salve Regina University for a twinbill.