Wheaton falls to second-ranked Cortland State in day two of Arizona trip

March 9, 2008

PHOENIX, AZ- Wheaton College dropped an 8-4 decision to Cortland State College in a battle of nationally-ranked baseball teams Sunday afternoon during day two of its Arizona trip. Ranked 13th in the Collegiate Baseball preseason poll, the Lyons fall to 0-2 on the young season, while the second-ranked Red Dragons improved to 3-1.

Wheaton was in a tight game until the late innings for the second straight day, trailing 2-1 before allowing a combined six runs in the final three frames. After spotting Cortland State a run on three errors in the first inning and another run courtesy of three Red Dragon hits in the fifth, the Lyons sliced their deficit in half on an RBI single from junior Nick Pecora (Highland Park, NJ/Immaculata).

Cortland State took advantage of three hits, a Wheaton defensive miscue and a passed ball in the visitor half of the seventh to lead 6-1 before a double off the bat of senior Ken Depasse (Holden, MA/Saint John's) brought the Lyons to within four. The teams each exchanged two runs in the ninth, as freshman Sean Munley (Trenton, NJ/The Hun School of Princeton) provided the Blue and White with a two-run single with two down.

Pecora went 2-for-5 as Wheaton's lone multiple hitter with an RBI and run, as the Lyons stranded 13 base runners. Sophomore Jeff Lieneck (Foxboro, MA/Xaverian Brothers) batted 1-for-2 with two walks and a run, while freshman Eric Laliberte (Nashua, NH/Bishop Guertin) also drew a pair of walks with a stolen base.

Junior hurler Josh Simmons (Cranston, RI/Cranston West) was saddled with the loss, scattering nine hits over 6.1 innings while yielding five runs, including three earned, with four strikeouts and five walks. Freshman Kevin Calabro (Andover, MA/Andover) surrendered two runs in 1.2 innings during his collegiate debut, while junior Karl Olson (Bethel, ME/Gould Academy) fanned two batters while allowing one run through one frame during his first collegiate action as a pitcher.

Wheaton will search for its first victory tomorrow morning against Monmouth College of Illinois. Game time is slated for 11:00 a.m.

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