NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team was defeated by visiting Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 6-1, this afternoon in the first game of a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference doubleheader at Sidell Stadium on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons dip to 17-16 overall and 8-6 in NEWMAC play, while the Engineers improve to 14-15 overall and 9-3.
MIT made the most of its hits with six runs on just five knocks. The Engineers cracked the scoring column first with single runs in the second and fifth innings, before creating some breathing room with four runs in the sixth to take a 6-0 lead. Wheaton got a run back in the sixth, but it was its only score of the contest.
Sophomore third baseman Casey Wensley (Raynham, Mass.) led Wheaton at the plate with a run batted in and a single and a double in four at-bats. Sophomore catcher Tyler Bellan (Franklin, Mass.) contributed with a 2-3 day. Sophomore starting pitcher Greg Strite (San Jose, Calif.) gave up four runs (three earned) on three hits and two walks to go with a pair of strikeouts in five and a third innings of work.
Sophomore left-handed starting pitcher Mason Estrada (Covington, La.) struck out 12 and gave up just three hits in six scoreless innings, while senior designated hitter Malachi Soqui (Castaic, Calif.) hit two homers and drove in three runs to lead MIT. Estrada issued just one base on balls and improved to 5-0 on the season, while senior reliever Phillip Hood (Grapevine, Texas) allowed a run on four hits in the final three innings to record his fifth save of the season. Soqui drew a walk and scored a pair of runs and junior second baseman Zev Moore (Jerusalem, Israel) hit a two-run home run for the Engineers as well.
Soqui put MIT on the board in the top of the second inning with a two-out home run over the right field fence to make it 1-0. The Engineers added a run in the fifth to take a 2-0 margin. Senior shortstop Reed Tubbs (Pflugerville, Texas) reached on an infield error to open the inning and later scored on a sacrifice fly to center field off the bat of sophomore catcher John Dwyer (Northport, N.Y.).
MIT hit a pair of long balls in the sixth to increase its advantage to 6-0. First year center fielder John Spivey (Saint Louis, Mo.) ripped a one-out double down the right field line, before completing his circuit around the bases ahead of Moore's fifth home run of the season. Graduate student left fielder CJ McCarthy (Pawling, N.Y.) singled through the left side with the third straight hit of the inning for the visitors. Soqui followed with his second round-tripper of the game and sixth of the year to give the Engineers a 6-0 lead.
The Lyons scored their only run of the contest with one-out back-to-back doubles. Sophomore center fielder Robbie Lamond (North Kingstown, R.I.) belted a double down the left field line, before Wensley traded places with him after punching a double down the right field line to score Lamond with the home team's lone run.
The teams will square off again in the nightcap of the league twinbill.
