WORCESTER, Mass. – Sophomore catcher Tyler Bellan (Franklin, Mass.) and senior left fielder Kevin Matos (Lawrence, Mass.) combined to drive in five runs to key a 9-7 victory for the Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team over host Clark University (Mass.) this afternoon in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play at Granger Field in Worcester, Mass.

The Lyons improve to 15-11 overall and 7-2 in NEWMAC play, while the Cougars dip to 18-9 and 4-5.

Wheaton rapped out 12 hits, including six extra-base hits. The Lyons scored seven runs in the first two innings and took a 9-2 lead with two runs in the sixth. Clark rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh and added one more in the ninth. 

Bellan was 1-3 with a three-run home run, while Matos was 1-5 with a two-run double for Wheaton. Sophomore third baseman Casey Wensley (Raynham, Mass.) was 3-5 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored and sophomore center fielder Robbie Lamond (North Kingstown, R.I.) doubled and tripled in five at-bats, while knocking in a run and scoring twice. Sophomore starting pitcher Greg Strite (San Jose, Calif.) earned the win to improve to 5-0 after giving up two runs (one earned) on five hits and a pair of walks to go with two strikeouts in five and a third innings of work. Senior reliever Liam Goldthwaite (Braintree, Mass.) struck out five batters and recorded one and two-thirds of one-hit, shutout ball, before handing the ball over to senior lefty reliever Josh Fischer (Hopkinton, Mass.). Fischer allowed one unearned run on one hit in the ninth to record his league-leading sixth save of the season.

Senior center fielder Carter Doran (Natick, Mass.) drove in a pair of runs with a homer from the top of the lineup for the Cougars, while graduate student left fielder Ryan Caulfield (Simsbury, Conn.) was 2-3 with a double, two RBI and a pair of walks. Junior third baseman Dom Mariani (Walpole, Mass.) was 3-5 with a double and a triple and scored a run. First year starting pitcher Danny Goodman (Merrick, N.Y.) allowed seven runs (six earned) on six hits to go with a strikeout over two innings and drops to 1-2 on the year.

The Lyons scored five times before Clark came to the plate to take a 5-0 lead. Wheaton loaded the bases with one out after sophomore right fielder Shawn Cali (East Taunton, Mass.) reached on an infield error, Wensley served a single to center and senior first baseman Timmy Wagner (Hingham, Mass.) was hit by a pitch. Matos delivered with a double down the line to plate Cali and Wensley to put the Lyons on the board with a 2-0 margin. Bellan followed Matos with a three-run blast over the left field fence for his first collegiate long ball to give the visitors a 5-0 lead.

Wheaton added two runs in its half of the second to extend the advantage to seven. Lamond ripped a double down the left field line, before Wensley traded places with him after belting a two-out double to right field. Wagner followed with a run-scoring single to left to knock in Wensley with his league-leading 42nd RBI of the season.

The Cougars got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the frame to cut the deficit to 7-2. Mariani smacked a lead-off double down the left field line and came around to score on a Caulfield single to left field. Caulfield later scored as well with the benefit of an error committed by a Lyon infielder.

Wheaton restored its seven-run cushion with two more runs in the top of the sixth to take a 9-2 lead. First year second baseman Logan Downey (Warwick, R.I.) kept the inning alive with a two-out single to right field, before Lamond legged out a triple to center field to drive in Downey. Cali promptly followed with a double to right and the Lyons owned a seven-run difference again.

Clark's bats came alive in the bottom of the seventh to push four runs across and slice the deficit to 9-6. Sophomore right fielder Michael Salzillo (Johnston, R.I.) drew a walk, before Doran clubbed a two-run homer to make it 9-4. Graduate student second baseman Billy Sullivan (Hicksville, N.Y.) followed with a single and Soares launched a triple to the right-center gap to drive in Sullivan with the home team's fifth run. Junior first baseman Brayden Hollinrake (Goffstown, N.H.) made it a three-run game when he served a two-out single to right field for the Cougars.

Clark looked to rally to extend the game in the ninth, but managed just a run. Soares reached on an infield error and later came around to score when Caulfield ripped a double down the left field line to score Soares with the final run of the day.

Wheaton and Clark are both back at it on Tuesday, April 15 at 3:30 p.m. The Lyons head to New London, Conn. to take on NEWMAC foe United States Coast Guard Academy, while the Cougars host league rival Salve Regina University.