2006 NCAA DIVISION III NATIONAL TOURNAMENT - Wheaton baseball completes monumental season with 7-2 loss to Marietta in title game

May 30, 2006

GRAND CHUTE, WI- The Wheaton College baseball team's quest for a national championship fell just short Tuesday at the NCAA Division III Tournament, as the Lyons completed their monumental season with a 7-2 loss to Marietta College at Fox Cities Stadium. Wheaton reached the title game in just its ninth year of varsity action, surpassing the program record with 42 wins while finishing their most successful season with a 42-10 mark.

Wheaton's journey including capturing an eighth New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) regular season championship, seventh conference tournament title, first New England crown and inaugural appearance in a national championship. The Lyons posted an impressive 10-2 mark in postseason play.

Marietta, which was making its 19th appearance at the national tournament, captured its fourth title in program history, joining Eastern Connecticut State University as the only two Division III schools with four. The Pioneers finish their season with an overall record of 43-11.

Junior Brandon Leonard (Brockton, MA/Brockton) went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Wheaton offense, as the Lyons finished with seven hits. Marietta compiled 15 hits on the day, scoring all of its runs on homers in the middle three innings. Sophomore southpaw Chris McDonough (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) suffered just his second loss, falling to 8-2 after yielding five runs on 10 hits with one strikeout and no walks in 4.2 innings.

McDonough and Marietta junior All-American Mike Eisenberg (Coral Gables, FL/Bullis) experienced a pitcher's duel through the first three innings, with Eisenberg retiring the first 10 batters of the game. Wheaton loaded the bases in the top half of the fourth thanks to a walk, infield error and single by sophomore All-American Scott Guillerault (South Portland, ME/South Portland), but with only one down the Lyons grounded into a double play to thwart the rally.

Wheaton ran into trouble in the bottom half of the fourth inning, as the Pioneers captured a 2-0 advantage on the strength of a two-run homer over the left field wall from sophomore Tony Piconke (Clinton Township, MI/Clintondale), only the second long ball that McDonough had given up over 83.2 innings this season. The Lyons limited the damage by turning a double play to end the frame, but Marietta kept coming in the fifth, this time chasing McDonough with a three-run shot from senior Justin Steranka (Pittsburgh, PA/Mount Lebanon).

Steranka struck again in the sixth with a two-run blast to left center to extend the Pioneer lead to seven. Wheaton responded in the top half of the seventh with a pair of runs on two hits, as Leonard and sophomore Pat O'Connor (Mattapoisett, MA/Old Rochester Regional) each drove in a run. The Lyons retired the Marietta side in order in the seventh and then left two Pioneers stranded in the eighth, leaving Wheaton with one final gasp to overcome its five-run deficit.

The Lyons went down fighting in the ninth, as junior Adam Laplante (Harwich, MA/Harwich) led off with a single through the left side. He moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a Leonard single to left field, but Marietta left the Wheaton runners stranded by finishing the game with a fly out to right.

Guillerault and senior Andy Koocher (Portland, ME/Portland) scored a run apiece, and sophomore Keith Pescosolido (Newton, MA/Newton North) and freshman Josh Simmons (Cranston, RI/Cranston West) combined to pitch the final 3.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out one and walking two.

Eisenberg improved to 13-2 on the mound for the Pioneers after giving up two runs on six hits with 12 strikeouts and three walk in eight-plus innings. Steranka went 3-for-5 with five RBI and two runs, and Piconke was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run.

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