NORTON, Mass. -- A six-run opening inning
pushed the fourth-ranked Wheaton College baseball team to an 11-4
non-conference triumph over visiting Bridgewater State College on
Tuesday at Sidell Stadium.
The Lyons, who are tied with Eastern Connecticut State University
atop the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA)
rankings, won for the 20th time in their last 22 games to improve
to 21-3, while the Bears slip to 11-11.
A pair of long balls highlighted the Blue and White's opening
frame, including a three-run shot over the right field fence from
junior Paul Malaguti (Andover, MA), his
team-high-tying fifth homer of the spring. Classmate
Jason Clucas (Peabody, MA) followed Malaguti with
a solo blast to left. Sophomore Sean Munley
(Trenton, NJ) had a run-scoring single, while senior Nick
Pecora (Highland Park, NJ) came around on a wild pitch to
complete the scoring, as the hosts chased Bear senior Jeff
Sarahs (Whitman, MA).
Wheaton senior southpaw Brian Hughes (Dudley, MA)
got off to a strong start in retiring eight of his first nine
batters en route to picking up his fourth win of the season.
Hughes struck out seven batters without issuing a walk in six
innings, while seniors Karl Olson (Bethel, ME) and
Josh Simmons (Cranston, RI) and junior Jon
Shepard (Salisbury, MA) combined to toss three one-hit
frames with three strikeouts.
After falling behind by six runs early, the visitors got on the
board when junior Mark Claffey (Bellingham, MA)
plated a run in the third with a two-out single to right. The
Lyons got that run back the following frame when junior
Jeff Lieneck (Foxboro, MA) singled home sophomore
Hadi Raad (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY), who led off
with a base knock.
The teams exchanged a pair of runs in the fifth and another in the
sixth to make the score 10-4. Wheaton's 10th run came on
another homer, as Lieneck's third dinger of the season pushed the
Lyons to double digits for the 13th time. Back-to-back
eighth-inning doubles off the bats of sophomore Rob
Jenkins (Rochester, NH) and freshman Dan
Haugh (Andover, MA) provided the game's final run, as
Wheaton finished with 15 hits.
Pecora went 3-for-5 to lead the Lyons, while Malaguti batted
2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs and a long ball. Clucas
posted two hits, a pair of runs, a homer and a double, Lieneck
plated two with two hits and the home run, while Munley added two
knocks. Freshman Hal Landers (Salem, NH)
drove in two runs, and sophomore Eric Laliberte
(Nashua, NH) drew a pair of walks.
For Bridgewater, senior Kelly LaDow (East
Falmouth, MA) went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI and a two-bagger,
while classmate Brad Koneski (North Dighton, MA)
was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.