KEENE, NH- The Wheaton College baseball team erupted for 19 runs on 23 hits in Sunday's 19-4 triumph at Keene State College, as eight different Lyons recorded multiple knocks in a non-conference game at Owl Stadium between two of the region's top teams.

The Lyons, who entered today's contest ranked third nationally and tops in New England, put a halt to their three-game losing skid while improving to 26-7 overall. The Owls, who are tied for eighth in the region, moved to 16-13 in their second game of the day.

Wheaton put things out of reach early, striking for 17 runs through the first four frames before the hosts got on the board. The Lyons accounted for multiple runs in five innings, including exploding for nine runs on eight hits in the second, with sophomore Sean Munley (Trenton, NJ/The Hun School of Princeton) clearing the bases with a double down the right field line and classmate Hadi Raad (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY/Hastings) smacking a two-run, two-out double also down the right field line.

Keene State scored four times from the bottom of the fourth through the eighth to make the score 17-4 before the Lyons tacked on two runs in the ninth. The Wheaton offense provided junior starter Nick Kostaras (North Attleboro, MA/North Attleboro) more than enough run support, while his defense was flawless, as the righthander put in six innings of work, yielding three earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and a pair of walks to improve to 3-1.

Taking the lead to start a game for the first time in nine contests, the Lyons rattled off at least 19 runs for the fourth time this season. Munley led the way by going a perfect 3-for-3 with five RBI and two runs, while Raad was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a pair of RBI. Freshman Dan Haugh (Andover, MA/Saint John's Prep) went 3-for-4 and plated three runs.

Sophomore Tad Skelley (Wolfeboro, NH/Holderness School) and freshman Dan Demeo (Glastonbury, CT/Glastonbury) recorded three hits apiece, with Skelley scoring four times and Demeo twice. A trio of Lyons had two hits, as junior Jeff Lieneck (Foxboro, MA/Xaverian Brothers) drove in two runs and scored twice, senior Nick Pecora (Highland Park, NJ/Immaculata) scored three times, while junior Paul Malaguti (Andover, MA/Andover) had a run and an RBI.

Freshman John Keating (Duxbury, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School) punched in two runs and drew two walks in his first collegiate start, while five Wheaton players posted doubles, as Haugh, Lieneck, Munley, Pecora and Raad each had two-baggers. Pecora hit his 16th double of the spring and is tied with three others for third most in a season at Wheaton, trailing Chris Denorfia '02, who is on the Oakland Athletics' 40-man roster, by one and leader Damon Whalen '02 by two.

Wheaton turns its attention to this week's New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament, where the four-time defending champion begin its quest for a fifth straight title when it hosts Springfield College in Wednesday's first round at 3:30 p.m.