NORTON, Mass. — The Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team saw visiting Springfield College rally for three runs in the top of the ninth to come away with a 5-3 victory this afternoon in the second game of a New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference twinbill at Sidell Stadium on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons, who received votes in the most recent American Baseball Coaches Association national poll, slip to 13-6 overall and 3-3 in the league. The Pride earn a split in the doubleheader and improve to 14-7 and 3-1.
The teams combined for five errors with both of Wheaton's coming in the ninth inning.
Senior shortstop Jack Dunaisky (Longmeadow, Mass.) hit a three-run double in the top of the ninth that proved to be the difference for Springfield. Dunaisky's double was his only hit of the game and just one of five for the visitors. Junior second baseman Kyle Mitchell (Wallingford, Conn.) was 1-3 with two RBI. Junior starting pitcher Josh Mayo (Westfield, Mass.) went the distance, hurling a nine-inning complete game victory to improve to 4-0 after giving up three runs (one earned) on seven hits and three walks to go with five strikeouts.
First year shortstop Evan Jones (West Haven, Conn.) paced the Lyons, going 2-4 with a double and an RBI, while senior first baseman Collin Reilly (Marshfield, Mass.) was 2-5. Senior third baseman Ray Toth (Granby, Mass.) was 1-3 with a double, a stolen base and a run scored. Junior right-handed starting pitcher Greg Strite (San Jose, Calif.) pitched well, allowing two runs on just three hits and one walk, while fanning eight batters in six innings for Wheaton. Senior lefty reliever Evan Mello (New Bedford, Mass.) took the loss to fall to 1-1 after giving up three unearned runs on two hits, while striking out three. The game also marked the end of first year left fielder Brayden Lewis' (Hopedale, Mass.) 17-game hitting streak, dating back to March 7.
Mello struck out the first two batters he faced in the ninth, before he was nicked by a Nicholas Lloyd (Easthampton, Mass.) single to right field to keep the inning alive. Junior center fielder Chris Balchius (Norwalk, Conn) reached on an infield error to second and junior left fielder Adam Crocker (Windsor, N.S.) continued the frame after reaching on an error by the shortstop to load the bases with no outs. Dunaisky belted a double to the gap in right center off an 0-2 pitch to clear the bases and give the visitors a 5-3 lead. Mayo retired the Lyons in order in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win.
The Pride got on the board with a pair of two-out runs in the top of the second to take a 2-0 lead. Balchius drew a lead-off walk and Crocker singled to left, before both runners moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Mitchell came through with a two-run single to center to give Springfield the lead.
Wheaton took advantage of Pride errors to score single runs in the third and fourth innings to even the count at 2-2. Junior catcher Ty Bellan (Franklin, Mass.) opened the third with a full-count walk and senior second baseman Marcus Rodrigues (Lincoln, R.I.) followed with a single to center. Junior center fielder Robbie Lamond (North Kingstown, R.I.) reached on an infield throwing error that allowed Bellan to score the Lyons' first run of the game. Wheaton took advantage of another Springfield miscue in the fourth to tie the game. Toth roped a double down the line, before Jones beat out a bunt single to third to put runners on the corners. Bellan reached on a throwing error with Toth scoring the tying run on the play.
Wheaton scratched out a run in the bottom of the eighth to take its first lead of the game at 3-2. Sophomore designated hitter Logan Downey (Warwick, R.I.) led off the frame by reaching on a throwing error and Toth later drew a walk. The pair moved into scoring position on a double steal, before Jones hit a ground ball to the drawn in infield. The shortstop had to make a diving stop, preventing a throw home to cut down the runner and had to opt for the out at first base, thus allowing Downey to score the Lyons' third run.
The Pride return to the diamond on Tuesday, April 7 when they host NEWMAC foe United States Coast Guard Academy at 3:30 p.m., while Wheaton heads to Boston, Mass. to take on Emerson College at the same time on the same day in conference play.
