BRIGHTON, Mass. — The Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team dropped the second game of a doubleheader to host Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 10-8, this afternoon in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference action at Pellagrini Diamond in Brighton, Mass.
The Lyons dip to 22-10 overall and 9-5 in NEWMAC play, while the Engineers improve to 12-17 and 9-4. The win preserved a split for MIT, which lost the opening contest, 7-6, in 10 innings.
The teams combined for 29 hits, including 16 for the Engineers.
Wheaton scored the first two runs of the game in the top of the first inning, before MIT countered with three in bottom of the frame. The Engineers scored twice in the second and added another run in the third to take a 6-2 margin. The Lyons closed within 6-3 with a run in the fifth, before MIT created some comfort with four runs in the sixth to take a 10-3 lead. Wheaton scored twice in the seventh and three more times in the eighth to close out the scoring.
Sophomore designated hitter Logan Downey (Warwick, R.I.) was 2-4 with a pair of runs batted in for the Lyons, while junior center fielder Robbie Lamond (North Kingstown, R.I.) was 2-5 with two RBI. First year left fielder Brayden Lewis (Hopedale, Mass.) was 2-5 with an RBI, a double, three runs scored and a stolen base and first year right fielder Derek Babineau Jr. (Scituate, Mass.) contributed with a 3-5 effort, including three runs scored and a stolen base. Sophomore right-handed starter Evan Yakovonis (Whitman, Mass.) suffered the loss to drop to 1-2 after giving up six runs on 10 hits to go with a pair of strikeouts in two and a third innings.
Senior second baseman Zev Moore (Jerusalem, Israel) led all hitters with four hits in five at-bats and hit a home run, drove in three runs, scored three times and stole a base for the Engineers. First year first baseman James Dempsey (Grand Rapids, Mich.) was 3-4 with three RBI and a run scored and sophomore Joey Severson (Western Springs, Ill.) was 2-3 with a double and two runs batted in. First year righty Thomas Grisamore (Austin, Texas) picked up the win in relief to improve to 3-2 after allowing five runs (three earned) on 10 hits in three and two-thirds innings and fanned a batter.
Wheaton loaded the bases with no outs to begin the game after Babineau Jr. reached on an error, Lewis reached on an infield single and Reilly drew a full-count walk. Downey delivered a sacrifice fly to right to crack the scoring column for the Lyons. Lamond brought home the visitors' second run with a single through the right side. MIT was able to limit the damage with an inning-ending double play.
The first three batters also reached for the Engineers to begin their half of the first during a three-run frame. Sophomore center fielder John Spivey (Saint Louis, Mo.) and junior shortstop Jack Finnegan (Essex, Conn.) each singled to open the inning, before Moore singled through the right side to knock in Spivey with MIT's first run. Dempsey came through later with a two-out, two-run single through the right side to give the Engineers the lead for good at 3-2.
MIT added two more runs in the second with some big swings to give it a 5-2 margin. Spivey legged out a triple to right center and Moore followed later with a two-out, two-run homer over the left field fence to provide the home team with a three-run margin.
The Engineers didn't waste any time adding to their cushion with Dempsey lacing a lead-off single through the left side in the third, before Severson followed with a double down the left field line to bring Dempsey all the way around to score from first.
Wheaton took advantage of an MIT miscue in the fifth to cut the deficit in half at 6-3. First year shortstop Evan Jones (West Haven, Conn.) was issued a four-pitch walk, before Babineau Jr. ripped a single up the middle. Jones scored the Lyons' third run on a throwing error on the play.
The Engineers broke the game open with a four-run sixth to give them a 10-3 advantage. Senior left fielder Eitan Moore (Jerusalem, Israel) and Spivey each singled to begin the frame. Finnegan reached on a fielder's choice, but the Lyons committed their only error on the play, enabling Moore to score and the remaining runners to move into scoring position. Zev Moore came through with an RBI single to right field and Dempsey did his part as well with a two-out single through the left side to drive in Finnegan with MIT's ninth run. Severson recorded a sacrifice fly to cap the scoring for the Engineers and give them a seven-run cushion.
Babineau Jr. beat out an infield hit to shortstop and Lewis followed with a fielder's choice that resulted in an error to keep Babineau safe at second. Downey and Lamond later followed with back-to-back RBI singles to cut the margin to 10-5 for Wheaton in the seventh inning.
Junior catcher Ty Bellan (Franklin, Mass.) and Babineau Jr. both singled to put runners on the corners with two outs. Lewis belted a double to left center to knock in Bellan and senior first baseman Collin Reilly (Marshfield, Mass.) served a two-run single to center to plate Babineau Jr. and Lewis to pull the Lyons within 10-8. It was as close as Wheaton would get after being set down in order in the ninth inning.
The Lyons return to the diamond tomorrow when they host Roger Williams University at 1:00 p.m. at Sidell Stadium, while MIT hosts conference foe Salve Regina University in Waltham, Mass. at Brandeis University on April 28 at 7:00 p.m.
