WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team was defeated by Keene State College, 14-9, this afternoon in the second game of the day for the Lyons at University of Hartford's Fionella Field in West Hartford, Conn.
The Owls improve to 6-8 on the season while Wheaton is now 6-7 overall.
Junior shortstop Marcus Rodrigues (Lincoln, R.I.) had two hits while six other players all hit safely for the Lyons, including sophomore third baseman Casey Wensley (Raynham, Mass.), who homered.
Juniors Jonathan Chatfield (Naugatuck, Conn.) and Evan Cali (Taunton, Mass.) each hit three-run home runs in a seven-run third inning to power Keene State. Chatfield had three hits including a pair of homers and drove in five as the Owls hit four home runs in the win.
Keene State got on the board on an RBI double by freshman catcher Luciano Frezza (Middletown, Conn.) for a 1-0 lead in the third before Cali and Chatfield blasted three-run homers for a 7-0 lead.
Senior first baseman Timmy Wagner's (Hingham, Mass.) RBI ground out in the fourth got Wheaton on the board.
Chatfield blasted his second homer of the game, a two-run shot in the fifth to make the score 9-1.
Wensley knocked in the Lyons' second run with an RBI ground out in the sixth cut the deficit to 9-2.
Senior left fielder Shea Zina (Greenville, N.H.) hit a two-run home run in the seventh as Keene State increased its lead to 11-2.
Wensley hit a three-run homer in the eighth as Wheaton scored four times to make the score 11-6.
The Owls scored three more runs in the home half of the eighth on an RBI double by junior third baseman Evan McCue (Waterford, Conn.), an RBI single by Zina and freshman shortstop Anthony DiGiacamo (Marston Mills, Mass.) added an RBI single pushing the lead to 14-6.
Wheaton scored twice in the ninth as sophomore right fielder Shawn Cali (Taunton, Mass.) drew a bases loaded walk before a sacrifice fly by sophomore center fielder Robbie Lamond (North Kingstown, R.I.) to close the scoring.
Sophomore Camden Thomas (Ellington, Conn.) got the win for Keene State as he went the first six innings and allowed just three hits and one earned run while striking out eight and not walking a batter.
Junior Chris Carbonara (Brockton, Mass.) took the loss for Wheaton, allowing seven runs in 2 ? innings.
The Lyons return to action tomorrow when they host Brandeis University at 1:00 p.m. at Slidell Stadium, while Keene State will remain in Hartford to play the Hawks tomorrow at noon.
