NEWPORT, R.I. — The Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team was taken down by host No. 3/4 Salve Regina University, 17-4, this afternoon in the first game of a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference twinbill at Reynolds Field in Newport, R.I.
The Lyons, who received votes in the most recent American Baseball Coaches Association national poll, dip to 10-4 overall and 1-1 in league play. The Seahawks, who are ranked fourth by the ABCA and third in the most recent D3baseball.com national survey, win their 13th straight and improve to 13-1 and 2-0.
Salve Regina received at least one hit from nine different batters, including six hitters with multiple knocks in a season-high 18-hit attack. Wheaton put three runs on the board to open the game in the first inning, but it was all Seahawks after that with a matching three runs in the first, four in the second and six in the third to give them a commanding 13-3 lead. The Lyons scratched out a run in the fourth, but Salve Regina scored three times in the fifth and once more in the sixth to set up a seven-inning victory triggered by the conference 10-run mercy rule after seven frames.
Wheaton was led by first year left fielder Brayden Lewis (Hopedale, Mass.), who was 2-3 with a three-run homer and a pair of runs scored. Senior third baseman Ray Toth (Granby, Mass.) was 1-2 with a run batted in and a walk and senior first baseman Collin Reilly (Marshfield, Mass.) contributed with a 1-2 effort that saw him score a run and draw a walk. Junior right-handed starting pitcher Greg Strite (San Jose, Calif.) took the loss to drop to 1-2 after giving up 11 runs on 10 hits and three walks, while striking out a batter in two and a third innings pitched.
Sophomore second baseman Jake Harring (Portsmouth, N.H.) was one of five Seahawks to drive in multiple runs with four RBI on a 2-4 outing that included three runs scored and a base on balls. Senior catcher Shea Donovan (Milton, Mass.) collected four hits in five at-bats, including a double and scored four times to go with two runs batted in, while sophomore center fielder Danny Rogers (New Canaan, Conn.) was 3-5 with a double and four RBI. Senior right fielder Shane Williams (Georgetown, Mass.) chipped in with a 2-3 showing in addition to knocking in three runs, scoring four runs and working a walk. Sophomore starting pitcher Nolan Romanowski (Wynantskill, N.Y.) remained perfect at 6-0 after hurling five innings and allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and a walk to go with seven strikeouts.
The Lyons rallied with two outs in the top of the first with Reilly working a four-pitch walk and sophomore right fielder Declan Lush (Seekonk, Mass.) lacing a single through the left side to set up Lewis for his second long ball of the season over the left field fence to give Wheaton a 3-0 lead.
The first four batters all reached to begin the bottom of the first for Salve Regina as part of a three-run answer. Harring drew a full-count leadoff walk and advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw to first to set up an RBI single to center off the bat of Donovan. Williams also singled to the outfield, before senior left fielder Evan O'Rourke (Arlington, Mass.) ripped a single up the middle to bring Donovan around to score the second run of the frame. Williams scampered home with the tying run on a much-needed double play turned by the Lyons.
The Seahawks picked up where they left off in the second inning, scoring four times to take a 7-3 lead. Harring highlighted the inning with a two-run single. Williams later followed with a sacrifice fly and O'Rourke knocked in his second run in as many innings to give the home team a four-run advantage.
Salve Regina broke the game open with six more runs in the third to take a 13-3 margin. The Seahawks loaded the bases with one out, before Harring hammered a two-run single to right field to make it 9-3. Donovan ripped a ground-rule double down the left field line to drive in another run and Williams followed with a double of his own to the gap in left center field to plate a pair of runs and increase Salve Regina's cushion to 12-3. Rogers clubbed the fourth double of the frame to bring home the sixth run of the inning and 13th of the game for the Seahawks.
Wheaton got a run back in the top of the fourth to cut the deficit to 13-4. Lewis reached on an error and sophomore designated hitter Logan Downey (Warwick, R.I.) singled to left center field to put runners on the corners with no outs. Toth delivered an RBI single to left center to bring Lewis around to score.
Salve Regina tacked on three more runs in the fifth to make it 16-4. The Seahawks pushed the sacks full with no outs to start the inning after Donovan (single), Williams (error) and O'Rourke (hit by pitch) all reached. Rogers followed suit with a two-run single through the left side to drive in the 14th and 15th runs for Salve Regina. Sophomore designated hitter Dylan Cimini (Stonington, Conn.) knocked in another run with a sacrifice fly, later in the inning, to put the Seahawks up by a dozen runs.
Salve Regina added one more run in the sixth to end the scoring. Williams drew a one-out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single to right off the bat of Rogers.
The teams will play again in the second game at 3:00 p.m.
