Weekly Lyon

Baseball (34-8, 11-1) Has Program-Record Winning Streak End During 3-2 Week

The nationally-ranked Wheaton College baseball team capped its regular slate by going 3-2 during a three-day stretch last week, seeing its program-record 24-game winning streak snapped along the way. The Lyons, who are ranked fourth nationally and first in New England by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), opened play with an 8-0 loss at regional rival Eastern Connecticut State University on Thursday, notched a doubleheader sweep of Roger Williams University, 9-5 and 11-1 on Friday, and split a twinbill at nationally-ranked counterpart Western New England College on Saturday. The Lyons won game one, 4-3 before the Golden Bears recorded a 5-2 win in the second contest.

When Wheaton lost to Eastern Connecticut State, it ended the longest active winning streak in Division III. The Lyons had not lost since suffering a defeat at Division I College of the Holy Cross on March 26, and not to an intra-divisional team since March 25 against Babson College. The Warriors plated the eventual game-winning run in the first inning before adding four runs on four hits in the fourth inning to put the game away. Senior Mark Baumer (Durham, ME/Greely) went 2-for-4, while four relievers held the hosts to an unearned run on two hits over the final four frames. Freshmen Adam Gingras (Woonsocket, RI/Woonsocket), Jared Barnes (North Attleboro, MA/Bishop Feehan) and Josh Simmons (Cranston, RI/Cranston West) and senior Jamie Baker (Boxford, MA/Masconomet Regional) each appeared out of the Wheaton bullpen.

The Lyons closed out their home slate by sweeping two seven-inning games on Senior Day. Wheaton plated four runs in each the second and third innings, highlighted by senior Mark Brown's (Chelmsford, MA/Chelmsford) three-run homer in the third. Brown finished the contest 3-for-3 with four RBI and two runs. Baumer and sophomore Scott Guillerault (South Portland, ME/South Portland) also went deep, with Guillerault's dinger moving him into sole possession of second place in a season at Wheaton (12) and alone into fourth for a career (17). Junior Adam Laplante (Harwich, MA/Harwich) was 2-for-3 with two runs, senior Chris Martin (Marshfield, MA/Marshfield) notched the win after six solid innings, and classmates Mark DeMasse (Reading, MA/Reading Memorial) and Baker finished off the Hawks in the seventh. Baker notched the save. The hosts scored the first 11 runs of game two, and sophomore Josh Moore (Manchester, NH/Manchester Memorial) carried a no-hitter into the sixth. Moore completed the game, giving up one run on three hits with three strikeouts and no walks. Laplante was 2-for-4 with four RBI, sophomore Jake Yagjian (Brewster, MA/Nauset Regional) drove in a pair, and senior Andy Koocher (Portland, ME/Portland) had two runs and two hits.

On the final day of the regular season, the Blue and White split a pair of nine-inning contests with Western New England, which is ranked 11th nationally and second in New England. A win in the first game gave Wheaton 34, the second most in program history behind the 2002 squad's 37. Koocher came up with a two-out, two-run double to knot the game in the seventh, and sophomore Pat O'Connor (Mattapoisett, MA/Old Rochester Regional) singled home the go-ahead run with two down in the top of the ninth. With two on and two out in the home half, junior centerfielder Brandon Leonard (Brockton, MA/Brockton) cut down the potential tying run at the plate to end the game. O'Connor finished 3-for-5 while four other Lyons had two hits apiece. Simmons collected the win in relief, while Baker picked up the save. In game two, the Golden Bears took advantage of three Wheaton errors to plate four unearned runs in the second inning. Senior Rafael Castillo (Queens, NY/Christ The King) finished 3-for-3, Koocher smacked a two-run single, and sophomore Louie Bernardini (Gray, ME/Gray-New Gloucester) yielded one earned run with six strikeouts and one walk in eight innings.

Guillerault, Martin Earn Weekly ECAC and NEWMAC Awards

Guillerault and Martin corralled honors as the top hitter and pitcher, respectively, in both the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) for the week ending on Sunday, April 30. Martin fired a two-hit shutout while fanning eight Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) batters during Wheaton's 14-0 NEWMAC Tournament semifinal round win on April 29. Guillerault posted a .643 batting average with 11 RBI and six runs in four games, going 9-for-14 with three doubles and a pair of home runs. He also drew three walks and was hit three times. During Wheaton's 14-3 victory at Rhode Island College on April 25, Guillerault went 2-for-3 and scored twice. On April 29, he was a combined 6-for-8 with nine RBI, three runs and two homers during the Lyons' semifinal round sweep of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and WPI.

Men's Lacrosse (8-6-1, 6-2) Has Pilgrim League Tournament Title Hopes Dashed

The Wheaton College men's lacrosse team fell in its only contest last week, losing to second-seeded Springfield College, 14-7 during a Pilgrim League Tournament semifinal contest. The number-three Lyons were making their first conference tournament appearance since 1998. The Blue and White's season continues Wednesday as the Lyons take part in their third ECAC Tournament in five years.

Wheaton had its five-game winning streak come to an end at Springfield. The Pride jumped out to a 3-0 lead by 11:07 of the first, but senior Ellis Reavey (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow) recorded two straight tallies to bring Wheaton within 3-2 at 6:46. Springfield extended its advantage to four before senior Adam Cohen (Montpelier, VT/Montpelier) brought the Lyons to within 7-4 at halftime by scoring with one second remaining in the opening half. Senior Taylor Jackson (Middlesex, VT/Union 32) and Reavey notched consecutive goals to make it an 8-6 game with 10:56 left in the third, but the Pride scored the next four goals in a 2:46 span. Reavey paced the Lyons with a hat trick, while senior John Sharry (Westwood, MA/Westwood) doubled his season total by netting two goals. Sophomore Richie Rasamny (Redding, CT/Joel Barlow) picked up two assists, and sophomore Jeremy Beech (West Newbury, MA/Governor Dummer Academy) made a career-best 21 saves.

Reavey Named Pilgrim League Player of the Week

Reavey was named Pilgrim League Player of the Week for the week ending on Sunday, April 30, becoming the first Lyon to earn the honor since Evan Carbotti '04 in 2004. Reavey recorded six goals and seven points, including the 100th of his college career, during Wheaton's 23-2 victory over Clark University on April 26. After notching three points in the first half, Reavey netted a pair of goals in each of the final two quarters, collecting his 100th point with 9:46 remaining in regulation on his sixth marker.

Trio Competes at Track Meets, Ezeigwe Corrals Pair of Top-Two Finishes

A trio of Wheaton College women's outdoor track and field athletes competed at meets on Saturday. At the University of Delaware Invitational, freshman Chizoba Ezeigwe (Brockton, MA/Brockton) paced the 400-meter dash field in a time of 57.67, which was 0.91 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. She bettered seven Division I athletes during the race and came within 0.07 ticks of a provisional qualification time for the NCAA Division III Championship. In the 200-meter dash, Ezeigwe came in second at 25.24 while recording a provisional mark. She was only 0.25 seconds behind the winner. Sophomore Cassandra Migani (Brooklyn, CT/Norwich Free Academy) and freshman Alexis Tabor (Seekonk, MA/Moses Brown School) each competed at the Division III New England Outdoor Championship at Springfield College. Both athletes took part in the javelin event, while Migani placed ninth in the discus, finishing a little more than a foot out of the final scoring position.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 1/30/07.
Questions about this page? Use our query form.

News

Men's Tennis: Men's tennis players Beekman and Hudgins named ITA Scholar-Athletes (more)

Women's Soccer: Hough's tally sends Wheaton past Emmanuel, Leddy notches third shutout (more)