PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Seniors Timmy Wagner (Hingham, Mass.) (five RBI) and Kevin Matos (Lawrence, Mass.) (four RBI) and sophomore Tyler Bellan (Franklin, Mass.) (three RBI) combined to drive in 12 runs and five pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team to a 14-0 victory over host Rhode Island College this afternoon at Pontarelli Field in Providence, R.I.
The Lyons improve to 20-17 on the season, while the Anchormen fall to 15-21. Wheaton has now reached the 20-win mark in each of its 27 non-COVID shortened campaigns.
Wheaton rapped out 16 hits for its 20th double-digit hit effort of the season and scored 10 or more runs for the third straight game and 12th time this season.
The Lyons opened the scoring with two runs in the first, before adding five runs in the fourth, a single run in the seventh and six more in the eighth.
Wagner belted his sixth homer of the season and knocked in five runs in a game for the fifth time this season to go with two runs scored and a walk for Wheaton. Senior designated hitter Kevin Matos (Lawrence, Mass.) drove in four runs with a home run and a double in four at-bats in addition to a pair of runs scored. Bellan also homered and doubled to go with three runs batted in. Senior second baseman Tommy Beauregard (Salem, Mass.) was 2-4 with a double, two runs scored and a walk from the top of the lineup. Sophomore starting pitcher Greg Strite (San Jose, Calif.) earned the win to improve to 6-1 after giving up just two hits and five walks, while striking out three in five shutout frames.
Junior center fielder Lucas McElroy (Westport, Mass.) led Rhode Island College with a 2-3 effort, while senior designated hitter Lucas Pierce (Chepachet, R.I.) and senior catcher David Iannuccilli (Cumberland, R.I.) were both 1-4. Senior starting pitcher Ryan Seaver (Norton, Mass.) took the loss to fall to 1-1 after giving up two runs on three hits and a walk in an inning of work.
The Lyons pushed two runs across in the top of the second to take a 2-0 lead. Wheaton opened the game with three straight hits. Beauregard and Lamond hit back-to-back singles, before sophomore third baseman Casey Wensley (Raynham, Mass.) followed with an RBI single to left to put the Lyons on the board. Lamond later scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Matos to give the visitors a two-run lead.
Wheaton added five more runs in the fourth to take a 7-0 advantage. Junior shortstop Ray Toth (Granby, Mass.) and first year right fielder Declan Lush (Seekonk, Mass.) each singled to begin the inning. Beauregard delivered a double down the left field line to knock in Toth with the third run. Wensley drew a walk to load the bases, before Wagner hit his second grand slam of the season and third of his career. It also marked the sixth grand slam this season for the Lyons and the second in as many games.
Wheaton tacked on a run in the seventh and scored the final six runs of the day in the eighth. Matos opened the seventh with a double to center field and later scampered home on a sacrifice fly to right field from Bellan. The Lyons loaded the bases with one out after Lush and Wensley were both hit by a pitch around a walk drawn by Beauregard. Lush scored on a fielder's choice from Wagner and Matos followed with a three-run homer for his team-high 12th long ball of the season to give Wheaton a 12-0 cushion. The homer gives him the fourth-highest single-season count in program history. Sophomore left fielder Shawn Cali (East Taunton, Mass.) followed with a single through the left side, before Bellan cracked his second round-tripper of the year to push the Lyons' advantage to 14-0.
The Anchormen put a runner on third base just twice in the game – both with two outs. Wheaton's bullpen retired the final seven batters in order to close out the contest. Junior relief pitcher Jack Feltovic (Hadley, Mass.) and sophomore reliever John DeBarber (Seymour, Conn.) each tossed a scoreless frame to end the game, including a pair of strikeouts by DeBarber to end the game.
The Lyons return to the diamond in their final regular season game tomorrow when they travel to Dudley, Mass. to take on Nichols College at 1:00 p.m., while Rhode Island College takes on University of Massachusetts Boston in the opening round of the Little East Conference Tournament on May 7 in Keene, N.H. at host Keene State College for an 11:30 a.m. first pitch.
