NORTON, Mass. – The Babson College baseball team scored three times in the top of the eighth to come away with a 7-5 win over host Wheaton College (Mass.) this afternoon in a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference contest at Sidell Stadium on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons dip to 16-15 overall and 8-5 in NEWMAC play, while the Beavers improve to 20-8 and 7-4.
Babson made all seven of its hits count, leaving just four men on base. The Beavers rallied for three runs in the top of the eighth to erase a one-run deficit and take the lead for good. Wheaton scored a run in the first, before Babson countered with two runs in the second to take a one-run edge. The Lyons strung together back-to-back two-run innings in the fourth and fifth to take a 5-2 margin, before the Beavers answered with a pair of runs in the sixth to make it a one-run game.
Senior first baseman Timmy Wagner (Hingham, Mass.) registered his third four-hit outing of the season, going 4-4 with a double, a run batted in and a run scored for Wheaton, while sophomore center fielder Robbie Lamond (North Kingstown, R.I.) was 2-5 with a home run and two runs scored. Senior left fielder Kevin Matos (Lawrence, Mass.) contributed with a double in three at-bats and drove in a run to go with a run scored. Senior right-handed reliever Liam Goldthwaite (Braintree, Mass.) suffered the loss to drop to 1-4 after allowing two runs on a pair of hits in two-thirds of an inning.
Graduate student third baseman Brant Savage (Charlton, Mass.) homered and knocked in three runs to lead Babson. Savage was 2-4 with two runs scored, while first year catcher Gabe Cushner (Harrington Park, N.J.) was 1-3 with a homer and a walk. Junior Zander Teator (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) was 1-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored from the nine-hole in the order. Senior righty reliever Luke McClintock (South Hamilton, Mass.) was credited with the victory to improve to 2-0 after hurling an inning and a third of hitless, scoreless ball that included a pair of strikeouts. Teator allowed just one hit in the ninth to pick up his fifth save of the year.
The Beavers scored all three of their runs in the eighth with two outs to jump in front of the home team. Sophomore right fielder Ryan Liss (Hollywood, Fla.) roped an opposite field double down the left field line, before Savage dumped a single into right field to plate the tying run. Teator belted a fly ball to the gap in left-center field that looked like it would hang up long enough to die in the Lyon left fielder's glove on the run, but the ball didn't catch enough leather and dropped in for a double. Savage scored from first on the play with the go-ahead run to make it 6-5. Teator later scored on an infield error to give the visitors a two-run lead with two more at-bats left for Wheaton.
The Lyons managed just one infield single over the final two frames and Babson came away with the win.
Wheaton broke into the scoring column with a run in the first to take a 1-0 edge. Lamond laced a single up the middle, before moving to second on a ground out. Wagner came through with a two-out RBI single up the middle to give the home team the lead.
The Beavers tied the game quick when Cushner launched his first collegiate long ball over the left field fence to open the top of the second. Sophomore left fielder Alexander Wilson (Millburn, N.J.) reached on a throwing error to first base, before eventually scoring on a ground out to give Babson its first lead of the afternoon.
Wagner and Matos each doubled to open the fourth with Matos' two-bagger knotting the game at 2-2. Consecutive walks issued to sophomore right fielder Shawn Cali (East Taunton, Mass.) and sophomore catcher Tyler Bellan (Franklin, Mass.) loaded the bases for the Lyons. Junior shortstop Ray Toth (Granby, Mass.) delivered a sacrifice fly to right to reclaim the lead for Wheaton.
The Lyons tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to increase their lead to three. Lamond led off the frame with his fourth round-tripper of the season. Sophomore third baseman Casey Wensley (Raynham, Mass.) and Wagner collected back-to-back singles, before both runners moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Wensley scampered home with the Wheaton's fifth run on a ground out to second.
The Beavers made it a one-run game in the top of the sixth on one swing of the bat. Senior first baseman Justin Guest (West Windsor, N.J.) ripped a lead-off single up the middle and, one out later, Savage deposited a pitch over the left field fence for his fourth home run of the season to pull Babson within 5-4.
The Beavers return to action tomorrow when they travel to Dorchester, Mass. to take on University of Massachusetts Boston at 3:30 p.m., while the Lyons host Tufts University at Sidell Stadium for a 4:00 p.m. first pitch.
