AUBURNDALE, Fla. — The Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team was defeated by Webster University, 6-4, this afternoon on Mickey Etherton Field in Auburndale, Fla. as part of the RussMatt Central Baseball Invitational.

The Lyons dip to 4-4 on the season, while the Gorloks win their third in a row to improve to 9-5.

Wheaton scored the first three runs of the ballgame in the top of the third before Webster got a run back in the bottom of the fourth and scored four times in the fifth to take a 5-3 lead. The Lyons added a run in the seventh to pull within one, but the Gorloks countered with a run in the eighth to keep it a two-run game.

Sophomore center fielder Robbie Lamond (North Kingstown, R.I.) was 1-4 with a double and two runs batted in for Wheaton and classmate Casey Wensley (Raynham, Mass.) also drove in a pair of runs. Sophomore catcher Tyler Bellan (Franklin, Mass.) was 2-3 with two runs scored and a walk. Sophomore left-handed starter Aiden Cardoza (Dartmouth, Mass.) was saddled with the loss to drop to 1-1. He yielded five runs (one earned) on seven hits and one walk, while striking out two in five innings pitched. 

First year right fielder Ryan Hartz (Chicago, Ill.) paced the Webster offense with a 3-3 effort that saw him knock in three runs, double, steal a base and draw a walk. Senior third baseman Cameron Hailstone (Gillespie, Ill.) was 1-3 with a run batted in and sophomore center fielder James Theodore (San Marcos, Calif.) was 3-4 with a run scored and a stolen base. Sophomore southpaw Ryan Greifelt (Chicago, Ill.) earned the win to improve to 3-2 on the season after giving up four runs on seven hits and a walk to go with nine strikeouts in six and a third innings of work. Senior right-handed reliever Joel Arsenault (Centennial, Colo.) was dominant in two and two-thirds innings of relief, striking out five while holding the Lyons without a hit to earn his second save of the season.

The Gorloks faced a 3-1 deficit in the bottom of the fifth, but took advantage of a two-out error to score four runs in the frame to take the lead for good at 5-3. Theodore singled through the left side to begin the two-out rally, before senior first baseman Evan Evola (Ottawa, Ill.) reached on an outfield error to keep the inning alive and allow Theodore to score from second base. The run pulled Webster within a run at 3-2. Graduate student designated hitter Cullen McBride (Staunton, Ill) was hit by a pitch and senior left fielder R.J. LaRocco (San Diego, Calif.) reached on an infield single to load the bases. Hartz delivered the biggest hit of the contest with a three-run double down the left field line to clear the bases and give the Gorloks a 5-3 advantage.

Wheaton got a run back in the seventh to cut the deficit to 5-4. Bellan singled to center to start the frame, before senior second baseman Tommy Beauregard (Salem, Mass.) ripped a double down the right field line to put both runners in scoring position. Lamond grounded out to third as Webster conceded the run to make it a one-run game.

Arsenault struck out the side in the eighth to keep the Lyons in check, while the Gorloks got the run back in the bottom of the eighth as an insurance run to give them a 6-4 lead. LaRocco opened the frame with a single to center, stole second, went to third on a Hartz infield single, before scoring on a sacrifice bunt by senior Ben Stedman (Millstadt, Ill.).

Wheaton scored the first three runs of the game in the top of the third to take a 3-0 lead. Bellan laced a leadoff single through the left side, before junior shortstop Ray Toth (Granby, Mass.) dumped a single into left field. Lamond doubled to right center to bring Bellan around to score and put Toth on third base to set up Wensley. The third baseman responded by rapping a sharp two-out single through the hole on the right side of the infield to drive in both runs and give the Lyons a three-run cushion.

Webster got on the board in the fourth to make it 3-1. McBride doubled down the left field line, before Hailstone punched a two-out single through the left side to score him with the Gorlok's first run of the game. 

Wheaton returns to the diamond tomorrow when it plays Bethel University at Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale, Fla. at 10:30 a.m., while Webster plays Milwaukee School of Engineering at Chain O' Lakes Park in Winter Haven, Fla. at 9:15 a.m.