AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team scored eight runs in the first inning, highlighted by a grand slam from first year designated hitter Brayden Lewis (Hopedale, Mass.) as part of an 11-0 victory over Vassar College this evening at Chain of Lakes Park Field 4 in Winter Haven, Fla. as part of the RussMatt Central Baseball Invitational.
The Lyons improve to 5-1 on the season, while the Brewers drop to 1-6.
Wheaton registered 14 hits, while its pitching allowed just three hits to Vassar. The Lyons scored eight times in the first, before tacking on two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to give them a double-digit lead that resulted in the 10-run mercy rule being enacted.
Wheaton's eight-run outburst marked the second time this season the Lyons have scored eight or more runs in an inning.
Lewis scored a pair of runs and was 1-3 for the game for the Lyons, while senior catcher Nick Giangregorio (Belmont, Mass.) was 2-3 with a triple, two RBI and a run scored. Senior third baseman Ray Toth (Granby, Mass.) contributed with a 2-3 outing that saw him double, knock in a run and score a run. Sophomore middle infielder Logan Downey (Warwick, R.I.) was 3-3 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI. Junior starting pitcher Greg Strite (San Jose, Calif.) picked up the win to improve to 1-0 on the year after four and a third innings of two-hit, three-walk ball to go with five strikeouts for Wheaton.
Senior center fielder Jensen Bergman (Princeton, N.J.) was the only multi-hit batter among Vassar's lineup, going 2-2 with a double and a walk, while first year designated hitter Ethan-Fox Fernandez (Washington, DC) was 1-2. First year left-handed starting pitcher Jack Sadowski (Arlington, Mass.), was unable to get an out and gave up seven runs on four hits and a walk. He was saddled with the loss and drops to 0-1 on the season. Sophomore relief pitcher Zach Berner (Glen Ridge, N.J.) was effective on the mound for the Brewers, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks to go with a pair of strikeouts in three innings pitched.
The Lyons erupted for eight runs in the bottom of the first to take an 8-0 lead. The first seven batters in Wheaton's lineup all reached base safely. Rodrigues singled up the middle, before Lamond and senior first baseman Collin Reilly (Marshfield, Mass.) were each hit by a pitch to load the bases. Sophomore right fielder Declan Lush (Seekonk, Mass.) drew a walk to force in the first run of the night for the Lyons. Lewis came through with a deep homer over the fence in left-center field to give Wheaton a quick 5-0 lead. Downey followed with a single to right field and stole second to set up Toth, who doubled down the line to knock in Downey and give Wheaton a 6-0 margin. Giangregorio hit a booming fly ball to left center field that was just out of the reach of the center fielder, enabling Giangregorio to end up on third with a triple, while Toth scored the team's seventh run of the day. Rodrigues grounded out to shortstop to bring home Giangregorio with the eighth run of the frame to give the Blue and White an 8-0 advantage.
The Lyons added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to give themselves a 10-0 cushion. Lush opened the inning with a single through the left side, before Lewis reached on an error to push Lush to third. Downey came through with a sacrifice fly to center field and Giangregorio singled through the left side of the infield, to plate Lewis with the 10th run of the game. Wheaton took advantage of a Reilly three-bagger in the bottom of the fifth, followed by a single to right field off the bat of Levi Hessel (Westminster, Mass.) for his first collegiate hit and final run of the game.
Vassar did not have a runner reach third base during the game and only had two base runners stranded on second base. Junior Noah Stockman (Huntington Beach, Calif.) advanced to second on a throwing error by the Lyon shortstop to open the inning, but Strite struck out two of the final three batters to escape the jam. Fox-Fernandez served a single to center field for the Brewers and first year first base Aidan Annello (Glen Cove, N.Y.) drew a full-count walk to move Fox-Fernandez to second, but the runners were stranded after Strite and first year righty reliever Dylan Matis (Waterford, Conn.) combined to strike out the rest of the side to end the threat for Wheaton.
The Lyons return to action tomorrow when they take on Husson University for a 12:30 p.m. first pitch at Northeast Regional Park in Davenport, Fla., while the Brewers play Lesley University on March 14 at 7:15 p.m. in Winter Haven, Fla.
