EAST BOSTON, Mass. — Sophomore starting pitcher Ben Oliveira (Somerset, Mass.) gave up one unearned run on just three hits over six innings and senior shortstop Mike Maher (Jefferson, Mass.) cranked a two-run home run to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team over host Emerson College in the nightcap of a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference doubleheader at Memorial Park in East Boston, Mass.

The Lyons have won 10 of their last 13 games and are now 11-6 on the season, including 5-1 in NEWMAC play, while the Lions fall to 3-16 and 0-6.

Wheaton rapped out double-digit hits for the eighth time this season with 13, while the pitching staff held Emerson to just five hits to mark the fourth time this season that Lyon pitching has held the opposition to five or fewer hits.

The first five innings of the game was a pitching duel with neither team able to scratch a run across. Wheaton broke through for four runs in the top of the sixth, before the Lions countered with a single run in their half of the seventh. The Lyons tacked on two insurance runs in the eighth and one more in the ninth.

Oliveira struck out three and issued three walks in six innings for Wheaton, while senior reliever Liam Goldthwaite (Braintree, Mass.) picked up his first collegiate save after striking out six and allowing just two hits in the final three innings. Maher was 2-4 with two runs batted in, a pair of runs scored and a walk. First year left fielder Shawn Cali (East Taunton, Mass.) was 3-5 with a double and two RBI, while classmate Casey Wensley (Raynham, Mass.) was 2-4 with a triple, two runs batted in, two runs scored and a walk. 

Sophomore shortstop Justin Fields (Glen Ridge, N.J.) was 2-4 to pace Emerson's offense and senior designated hitter Blake Benway (Fairfield, Conn.) knocked in the only run and was 1-2 with a walk for the Lions. 

Oliveira retired the first eight hitters he faced to start the game with Emerson's first base runner reaching after being hit by a pitch with two outs in the bottom of the third. Fields dumped a single into right field to lead off the fourth to break up the no-hitter for the Lions.

The teams entered the top of the sixth in a scoreless tie, before the Lyons put four runs on the board in the inning. Senior center fielder AJ Guindon (Coventry, R.I.) singled through the left side to lead off the frame, before Maher crushed a pitch over the left-center field fence for his first homer of the season and a 2-0 Wheaton lead with one out. Junior designated hitter Kevin Matos (Lawrence, Mass.) followed with one of his three hits in the game on a single and Wensley drew a walk to put runners on base for Cali. The rookie came through with an RBI single to center to plate Matos with the third run. First year catcher Tyler Bellan (Franklin, Mass.) kept the pressure on with a two-out ground rule double that hopped over the fence in left field and drove in Wensley to make it 4-0.

First year Braeden O'Connell (Boxford, Mass.) opened the bottom of the seventh with a single to center field for Emerson. He scampered to second on a passed ball and came around to score the Lions' first run when Benway followed with a single to right field.

Wheaton added two more runs in short order in the eighth. Matos drew a walk and scored ahead of a triple to center field off the bat of Wensley that bounced over the center fielder's head on the turf. Cali whacked a ground-rule double to left to plate Wensley with the Lyons' sixth run of the contest.

Wheaton tacked on another run in the ninth for good measure. Maher and Matos mirrored each other with consecutive singles up the middle to start the frame. Maher advanced to third on a fielder's choice and scored when Wensley directed a bunt single past the pitcher in the air on the first base side.

Goldthwaite pitched a perfect ninth, including a pair of strikeouts to close out the win and earn the save for the Lyons.

Wheaton returns to the diamond on Tuesday, April 9 when it travels to New London, Conn. to take on United States Coast Guard Academy in a NEWMAC contest at 3:30 p.m., while Emerson hosts Worcester Polytechnic Institute on the same day at the same time at the New England Baseball Complex in Northborough, Mass.