Late-game rally leads RIC to 11-6 upset over seventh-ranked Wheaton

April 24, 2007

NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College baseball team saw 3-0 and 4-3 leads disappear against visiting Rhode Island College Tuesday afternoon, as the Anchormen put up four runs in each the seventh and ninth innings en route to an 11-6 upset over the seventh-ranked Lyons in non-conference action at Sidell Stadium.

Wheaton, which is also ranked first in New England in today's American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) poll, falls to 23-10 on the season. RIC improves to 13-11 overall with the victory.

This afternoon's action started in Wheaton's favor, as the Lyon offense triggered three runs in the third and senior hurler Joe White (Bedford, NH/Manchester West) carried a no-hitter into the fifth. White retired his initial six batters and 11 of his first 12. Senior Adam Laplante's (Harwich, MA/Harwich) two-run single highlighted Wheaton's third frame, while sophomore Nick Pecora (Highland Park, NJ/Immaculata) also drove in a run.

White ran into trouble in the fifth, as the Anchormen smacked three straight hits to open the frame. Sophomore Chris O'Connors (North Kingstown, RI/Bishop Hendricken) and senior Michael Naylor (Warwick, RI/Toll Gate) had back-to-back singles, and sophomore B.J. Doyon (Douglas, MA/Douglas) brought O'Connors around with a double to right center. Run-producing at bats from juniors Jim Connell (Smithfield, RI/La Salle) and Peter Olson (North Providence, RI/North Providence) eventually chased White, as the visitors knotted the score on four hits.

A two-out RBI double in the bottom of the sixth from Wheaton sophomore Robert Foote (Walpole, MA/Walpole) gave the Lyons a 4-3 edge, but the lead proved to be short-lived, as Rhode Island College responded with four runs on three hits coupled with two Lyon errors in the seventh. Three of the runs were unearned, as O'Connors and senior Tim Henault (East Greenwich, RI/East Greenwich) each plated a run in the inning. The Anchormen's other two runs came on defensive miscues.

The Lyons cut their deficit to 7-6 on Pecora's two-run base knock up the middle in the home half of the seventh, but four more RIC runs on four hits and two Wheaton errors in the ninth thwarted any Lyon comeback bid. Connell, Naylor and sophomore Josh Cardoso (Dartmouth, MA/Greater New Bedford RVT) were each credited with RBI hits. O'Connors finished 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI, while Naylor was 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. Connell plated two runs, and Cardoso and Henault scored twice apiece.

Pecora paced Wheaton with two hits, three RBI and a run, Foote went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Laplante had two RBI. Junior Keith Pescosolido (Newton, MA/Newton North) was saddled with the relief loss, yielding three unearned runs on two hits with one strikeout in 0.1 innings. White fanned two and walked one while surrendering three earned runs on four hits in 4.1 innings, as the Lyons used eight pitchers.

RIC senior Wade Briggs (Woonsocket, RI/Woonsocket) improved to 3-3 with today's pitching win, striking out a pair of Wheaton batters while walking three with four earned runs on five hits in six innings. Freshman Robert Germane (Barrington, RI/Barrington) tossed an unblemished ninth with two strikeouts.

The Lyons remain at home Thursday for a non-conference contest against Eastern Connecticut State University at 3:30 p.m. Eastern is ranked second in New England and 11th nationally.

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