PHOENIX, AZ- The Wheaton College baseball team erased a late eight-run deficit against Saint John's University of Minnesota on Sunday and captured an 11-10 lead heading into the ninth inning before dropping a 12-11 decision in an extra-inning thriller.

Wheaton, which entered the game ranked 19th in the most recent D3baseball.com national poll, fell to 1-1, while the Johnnies finished their spring trip with a 5-7 record.

In a game that combined for 23 runs on 34 hits, the Blue and White trailed 10-2 entering the seventh frame after Saint John's plated at least one run in every inning but the fifth. However, the Lyons strung together six runs in the seventh and three more one frame later for an 11-10 edge. Senior Nick Pecora (Highland Park, NJ/Immaculata), who had a monster game offensively with three hits, four RBI and two runs, ripped a two-out, two-run single in the seventh, as did sophomore pinch hitter Alex Rossi (Norwood, MA/Norwood).

Wheaton used four pinch hitters in the seventh and each player singled, including two by freshmen who were seeing their first career action. First-year Dan Demeo (Glastonbury, CT/Glastonbury) had two hits, an RBI and a run in the frame, while classmate David Brandt (Contoocook, NH/Hopkinton), who provided a spark by going 3-for-3 with two runs, plated Demeo in the inning.

Sophomore Sean Munley (Trenton, NJ/The Hun School of Princeton) delivered a huge hit in the eighth, as his bases-clearing two-bagger down the right field line provided Wheaton with its second one-run lead of the game. In the home half, senior Josh Simmons (Cranston, RI/Cranston West) got his team out of a jam with two on and one down, as the righthanded closer fanned two straight batters to end the threat.

After the Lyons stranded a pair of runners in the ninth, Wheaton surrendered the tying run in the bottom half before Simmons retired his final two batters on strikes. The Blue and White had the winning run in scoring position in the 10th but had its rally thwarted with an inning-ending double play. Saint John's picked up the decisive run on a double, sacrifice bunt and single.

In addition to Brandt and Pecora recording three hits each, Munley batted 3-for-5 with the three RBI, two doubles and a walk. Junior Paul Malaguti (Andover, MA/Andover) went 1-for-3 while drawing three walks. Classmate Jon Shepard (Salisbury, MA/Triton Regional) was saddled with the loss after yielding a run on two hits in a third of an inning.

The Lyons return to action tomorrow to face The College of New Jersey, which is receiving votes in the D3baseball.com national poll. Game time is slated for a 3:00 p.m. start.