PROVIDENCE, RI- The Wheaton College baseball team, ranked 12th in the nation according to the most recent D3baseball.com poll, overcame three deficits at Rhode Island College Saturday afternoon before rallying late for a 14-6 victory to open its New England slate on Anchorman Field.

Extending its winning streak to nine games, the Blue and White raised its season mark to 10-1, while the Anchormen lost for just the third time in falling to 8-3.

After being limited to four runs on four hits through seven innings, the Lyons erupted for 10 runs and 12 hits in the final two frames, as Wheaton has now averaged 14 runs in its last five games. Junior Jeff Lieneck (Foxboro, MA/Xaverian Brothers), whose two-run double in the eighth made the score six-all, produced one of five multi-hit performances for the Lyons by going 3-for-5 with three runs, two RBI and a pair of doubles.

Junior Jason Clucas (Peabody, MA/Saint John's Prep) and freshmen Dan Haugh (Andover, MA/Saint John's Prep) and Hal Landers (Salem, NH/Salem) also recorded run-scoring hits to cap the eighth and give the visitors a 9-6 advantage heading into the home half. Haugh batted 2-for-5 with three runs and a pair of RBI, Clucas went 2-for-4 with an RBI, a run and a double, while Landers drove in two runs.

Senior Nick Pecora (Highland Park, NJ/Immaculata) highlighted Wheaton's five-run ninth with a two-run blast over the right field fence, his third of the season, to push the Lyons into double figures for the fourth time in five games. Three batters later, Haugh drove in Lieneck for a 12-6 Wheaton advantage before Landers and sophomore Hadi Raad (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY/Hastings) each plated a run to complete the scoring. Pecora was 2-for-4 with three runs, a pair of RBI, two walks and a two-bagger.

The Lyons plated the game's first run in the first inning before the hosts brought home two runs apiece in the second and third frames for a 4-2 advantage. With one down in the first, Pecora drew a walk, advanced to third on Lieneck's line-drive double down the left field line and scored on a sacrifice fly from sophomore Sean Munley (Trenton, NJ/The Hun School of Princeton).

Wheaton added single runs in each the third, fourth and fifth innings to knot the score at four midway through the contest. In the third, Munley's deep double off the center field fence scored Lieneck, who reached second on a throwing error by the pitcher. Clucas ripped a double to center to open the fourth before eventually scoring on a wild pitch. The game-tying run in the fifth came on Wheaton's second sac fly, this time by Raad.

Junior Paul Malaguti (Andover, MA/Andover) also contributed to the Lyon offense with a 2-for-4 performance, two runs and a pair of walks. Raad drove in a pair and drew two walks, Munley plated two, and sophomore Eric Laliberte (Nashua, NH/Bishop Guertin) scored twice.

On the mound, sophomore southpaw Chad Kasik (Dudley, MA/Shepherd Hill Regional) earned the win in relief, surrendering one earned run and one hit with a walk in two innings. Senior Karl Olson (Bethel, ME/Gould Academy) and freshman David Longley (Brunswick, ME/Brunswick) each tossed a scoreless frame, while sophomore starter Kevin Calabro (Andover, MA/Andover) picked up the no-decision.

Wheaton opens its home and New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) slates with a Sunday doubleheader against Springfield College beginning at 12:00 p.m.