WORCESTER, MA- For just the second time in the 11-year history of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC), the Wheaton College baseball team failed to reach the final round of the postseason tournament, as the second-seeded Lyons succumbed to a late rally by number-four Babson College during an 8-7 loss on Saturday in the semifinals at Worcester Polytechnic Institute's (WPI) Class of 1893 Field.

Now 28-9 overall, Wheaton returns its focus to five remaining regular season games as it aims to earn an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament. The Lyons are ranked 12th nationally and are tied for third in the regional poll, while the Beavers are now 20-15 and advance to Sunday's championship round after beating the Blue and White for the second time in as many days. Wheaton had downed WPI earlier Saturday to stave off elimination.

The Lyons scored the first four runs of the game, plating at least one in each of the opening three innings but leaving six men on base, only to see Babson make it a one-run contest by the third frame. Senior Nick Pecora (Highland Park, NJ/Immaculata) tied a seven-year-old school record when he ripped his 18th double of the season in the first inning, and sophomore Sean Munley (Trenton, NJ/The Hun School of Princeton) singled him home with two down. Pecora added a sacrifice fly in the second, and sophomore Hadi Raad's (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY/Hastings) two-run double with two out in the third plated a pair of unearned runs.

Babson nearly drew even in the home half, as a sac fly scored the first run before senior Bryan Evans (Bellaire, TX/Episcopal) hit a two-out, two-run home run. Munley responded with a two-run shot of his own in the fourth, making it 6-3 Wheaton with one down in the frame.

The Beavers crept within 6-5 in the sixth frame, as a no-out RBI single was followed by a one-out run-scoring knock, but Raad came through with a two-out RBI single in the seventh, plating freshman Hal Landers (Salem, NH/Salem). Landers had doubled with one down, but junior Paul Malaguti (Andover, MA/Andover) was thrown out at home on the play while trying to score from first base.

Babson again threatened in the seventh, as freshman Travis Jonasson (Needham, MA/Catholic Memorial) led off with a single, but sophomore Pat Martin (Rockland, MA/Rockland) came out of the bullpen to retire three straight batters, all of whom represented the potential tying run. Martin fanned the final two Beavers of the inning. However, Babson made it 7-6 on an RBI groundout in the eighth, and junior Peter O'Toole (Salem, MA/Saint John's Prep) hit a two-run homer to produce the final margin. The Beavers threatened for more, but a ground ball led to an inning-ending double play. Wheaton went down 1-2-3 in the ninth.

Munley finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs, driving in seven of the 12 runs Wheaton scored in its two games on the day. Landers was 3-for-4 with two runs, Raad went 2-for-3 with three RBI, Pecora had two hits and scored twice, while freshman Dan Haugh (Andover, MA/Saint John's Prep) recorded two knocks. Senior southpaw Brian Hughes (Dudley, MA/Shepherd Hill Regional) went five-plus innings, allowing five runs on five hits and drawing a no-decision. Classmate Josh Simmons (Cranston, RI/Cranston West) was saddled with the defeat, facing a pair of batters while trying to notch his second save of the day.

Freshman Billy Miller (Sagamore Beach, MA/Boston College) was 3-for-4 for Babson, while three Beavers had two hits apiece. Junior Michael O'Brien (Shrewsbury, MA/Saint John's) worked eight frames for the win, and senior Chris Legrow (North Andover, MA/North Andover) notched the save.

The Lyons are back in action when they host Rhode Island College on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. The Anchormen are tied for eighth in the latest regional poll.