DUDLEY, Mass. — Senior designated hitter Kevin Matos (Lawrence, Mass.) matched his career high with his 13th home run of the season and knocked in three runs to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team to a 4-3 victory over host Nichols College this afternoon at the Nichols Baseball Field in Dudley, Mass.
The Lyons conclude the regular season with a 21-17 record, while the Bison fall to 24-16 in their regular-season finale.
Wheaton scored the first three runs of the game with a run in the first and two in the fourth. Nichols got a run back in the fifth to pull within 3-1, before the teams matched one another with a run each in the seventh to make it 4-2. The Bison looked to rally in the ninth, but managed just a run to fall short.
Matos was 2-4 on the day, while sophomore center fielder Robbie Lamond (North Kingstown, R.I.) was 2-5 with a run scored for the Lyons. Senior first baseman Timmy Wagner (Hingham, Mass.) reached base twice with a single and a walk. Sophomore southpaw Aidan Cardoza (Dartmouth, Mass.) earned the victory to improve to 3-5 on the season after yielding one run on seven hits and no walks to go with three strikeouts in five innings. Senior reliever Josh Fischer (Hopkinton, Mass.) picked up his ninth save of the year after giving up a run on three hits, while striking out a batter.
Senior center fielder Ben Jerome (Waterford, Conn.) led Nichols from the top of the lineup with a 4-5 day that saw him drive in a pair of runs, while senior shortstop Andrew Croteau (Reading, Mass.) was 2-4 with two runs scored. Junior third baseman Julian Galvan (Torrance, Calif.) was also 2-4 in the game. Sophomore starting pitcher Allen Hinckley (Windsor Locks, Conn.) was charged with the loss after allowing an unearned run on two hits and struck out three in two innings of work.
Wheaton got on the board with a run in the first to take a 1-0 edge. Senior second baseman Tommy Beauregard (Salem, Mass.) and Lamond collected back-to-back singles to open the inning, before both runners moved into scoring position following a failed pick-off attempt that went awry. Sophomore third baseman Casey Wensley (Raynham, Mass.) brought home Beauregard with a sacrifice fly.
The Lyons scored two quick runs in the fourth to increase their lead to 3-0. Wagner drew a leadoff walk and Matos parked his second long ball in as many days and third in his last four contests to give Wheaton a three-run margin.
The Bison broke into the scoring column with a run in the bottom of the fifth to make it 3-1. Croteau singled through the left side to open the frame, before Jerome followed with a two-out single. First year Ryan Keating (Wilbraham, Mass.) served a single to left field to drive in Croteau with the home team's first run of the day.
The Lyons put two runners on base after Lamond singled to left and Wensley drew a walk in the seventh. Matos delivered with a two-out single to bring Lamond around to score the important fourth run. Nichols got the run back in the bottom of the inning when first year Collin Harty (Whitinsville, Mass.) worked a walk and Jerome followed with a two-out RBI single to left field to cut the deficit in half at 4-2.
The Bison scored the final run of the afternoon in the bottom of the ninth. Croteau and Galvan each singled to put runners on the corners with two outs, before Jerome punched a single to center to plate Croteau with the third run of the game for Nichols. Fischer induced a ground out to end the threat and the game for Wheaton.
The Lyons return to the diamond on Wednesday, May 7 when they travel to Worcester, Mass. to take on Clark University at 3:30 p.m. in the first round of the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference Championship Tournament, while the Bison host a Conference of New England Quarterfinals game on May 8 at 11:00 a.m.
