FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team opened the season with a 7-4 loss to host Methodist University this afternoon at Armstrong-Shelley Field in Fayetteville, N.C.

The Lyons dip to 0-1 on the season, while the Monarchs improve to 6-3.

Methodist and Wheaton each rapped out nine hits for the game, but three errors by the Lyons proved costly in the game. The Monarchs took advantage of a three-run error in the bottom of the sixth to provide the difference in the contest.

Wheaton scored the first two runs of the game in the top of the first and later tacked on another in the fourth to keep it a two-run margin at 3-1. Methodist scored four times in the sixth to take a 5-3 lead, before adding two more runs in the seventh to extend its lead to 7-3. The Lyons got a run back in the top of the ninth to climb within three.

Sophomore third baseman Casey Wensley (Raynham, Mass.) led Wheaton at the plate, going 3-4 with a pair of doubles and a run scored. Sophomore center fielder Robbie Lamond (North Kingstown, R.I.) reached base three times with a 2-4 effort, including a double, while drawing a walk and scoring a run. Senior first baseman Timmy Wagner (Hingham, Mass.) knocked in a pair of runs and drew a walk. Junior right-handed starting pitcher Ben Oliveira (Somerset, Mass.) was outstanding, allowing just one unearned run on three hits, while striking out five and not walking a batter. Senior righty reliever Jackson Walsh (Cumberland, R.I.) suffered the loss (0-1) after giving up three runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk in without getting an out.

Sophomore second baseman Brandon Mauger (Altamonte Springs, Fla.) led the Monarchs with three hits in four trips to the plate, while smacking a pair of doubles, scoring twice and driving in a run. Senior first baseman Banks Engle (Hampstead N.C.) was 2-4 and sophomore third baseman Blake Freeman (Graham, N.C.) was 1-4 with an RBI. Senior lefty reliever Brice Herring (Fuquay Varina, N.C.) was excellent in relief, surrendering just one hit and no walks to go with three strikeouts in three innings to pick up the win and improve to 1-0 on the year.

Methodist entered the bottom of the sixth facing a 3-1 deficit. The first three batters all reached safely, including junior catcher Joey Sweeney (Brunswick, Md.) with a leadoff infield single to the left side, before senior right fielder Jackson Deal (China Grove, N.C.) drew a walk. Mauger clubbed a double to the gap in left center field to knock in Sweeney and put Deal on third to keep both runners in scoring position with no outs. Junior southpaw reliever Evan Mello (New Bedford, Mass.) entered the game looking to get out of the jam for the Lyons. He fanned the first two batters he faced, before issuing a walk to senior left fielder Tristen Melvin (Cincinnati, Ohio) to load the bases. Senior shortstop Caleb Rogers (Seminole, Fla.) hit a come-backer to the mound, but Mello's throw to first was wide, allowing all three runners to circle the bases and give the Monarchs their first lead of the afternoon at 5-3.

Methodist added two more runs in the seventh to take a four-run lead. Senior pinch-hitter Caleb Greene (Bahama, N.C.) worked a one-out walk, stole second and went to third on a failed pick-off attempt, before scoring on a ground out from Deal to give the Monarchs a 6-3 advantage. Mauger and sophomore designated hitter Banks Hartman (Oak Island, N.C.) kept the inning alive with back-to-back singles, before Freeman dumped an RBI single to right field for the home team's seventh run of the contest.

Wheaton scored a run in the seventh, but it was all it could muster. Senior left fielder Kevin Matos (Lawrence, Mass.) poked a single through the right side and later moved into scoring position with two outs following a ground out. Senior pinch hitter Tommy Beauregard (Salem, Mass.) came through with a run-scoring single to center field to make it 7-4. Lamond followed with a single to left to put the tying run at the plate, but it was as close as the Lyons would get.

Wheaton scored twice in its first inning of 2025 to take a 2-0 margin. Lamond greeted Methodist with a double to open the game with his first collegiate extra-base hit and Wensley doubled to left to put both runners in scoring position with one out. Wagner ripped a two-run single to left to give the visitors an early two-run lead.

Methodist cut the deficit in half with a run in the bottom of the second to make it 2-1. Melvin singled up the middle, but the ball got past the Lyon center fielder and Melvin raced past second and pulled into third base with one out. Rogers made Wheaton pay with a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Melvin with the first Monarch run. 

Wheaton took advantage of Methodist control issues in the top of the fourth to reclaim a two-run lead at 3-1. Matos drew a leadoff walk in the frame, advanced to second on a ground out and scored on consecutive wild pitches. 

The teams return to action tomorrow for a twinbill in Fayetteville with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch slated for game one.