Lyons rally to overcome early three-run deficit and move past Curry, 11-5

April 10, 2008

NORTON, MA- The ninth-ranked Wheaton College baseball team scored 10 of Thursday's final 11 runs to erase a 4-1 deficit against non-conference foe Curry College, as the Lyons scored nine runs during the sixth through eighth innings in capturing an 11-5 victory at Sidell Stadium. Wheaton has won 19 of its last 20 games.

The Blue and White, which is ranked ninth in the country by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), tallied 11 runs for the second time in as many days to improve to 21-5 overall. The Lyons also upped their home mark to 7-0 at Sidell, where they have won 42 of their last 46 games. Curry slipped to 15-3-1 in the loss.

Senior Scott Guillerault (South Portland, ME/South Portland) and sophomore Jeff Lieneck (Foxboro, MA/Xaverian Brothers) were Wheaton's offensive leaders, as each went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Guillerault also smacked a pair of doubles. Sophomore Sean Buckley (Webster, MA/Bartlett) was impressive during the team's 15-hit onslaught, going 2-for-3 with an RBI in each the sixth, seventh and eighth innings after entering the contest as a pinch hitter. Senior Jake Yagjian (Brewster, MA/Nauset Regional) went 2-for-5 with an RBI, a run, a steal and a walk, while freshman Hadi Raad (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY/Hastings) scored twice.

Freshman southpaw Kevin Calabro (Andover, MA/Andover) picked up his third win of the season as the second of five Wheaton hurlers, as he fired 2.2 innings of scoreless relief with two strikeouts and just one hit allowed. Senior Keith Pescosolido (Newton, MA/Newton North) got the Lyons out of a two-on, two-out jam in the seventh by retiring the only batter he faced, while junior Josh Simmons (Cranston, RI/Cranston West) collected a six-out save, his sixth of the season, with two hitless innings while fanning two and walking one.

Senior David Vincent (Grafton, MA/Grafton) was Curry's big hitter, going 3-for-5 with two RBI and a pair of runs, while sophomore Jesse Bruinsma (Lynnfield, MA/Lynnfield) and freshman Ben Blaisdell (Mansfield, MA/Mansfield) notched two hits each, including a two-bagger from Bruinsma. First-year Dan Gaughan (Braintree, MA/Braintree) was saddled with his first loss of the season as the second of six Colonel pitchers, surrendering three runs on one hit with one strikeout and two walks in 2.2 innings.

Wheaton pushed the game's first run across with an RBI single from senior Ken Depasse (Holden, MA/Saint John's) in the second, but the Lyons left the bases jammed. Curry answered with a four-run third on three hits and a miscue. Vincent delivered a two-run single to left center, while freshman Brad Hawn (Chino Hills, CA/Mater Dei) plated a run on a ground ball to second. Consecutive doubles from Guillerault and freshman Sean Munley (Trenton, NJ/The Hun School of Princeton) in the home half narrowed Wheaton's deficit to two.

The Lyons grabbed a 5-4 lead thanks to a three-run sixth, highlighted by Guillerault's second double that put Wheaton in front for good. Buckley and Yagjian also drove in runs during the frame. After a two-run seventh extended the Lyon advantage to 7-4, Curry singled three straight times to begin the eighth to make it 7-5. With the go-ahead run at the plate, Simmons came on and retired three straight batters on a sacrifice bunt and two popups.

Wheaton put the game out of reach in the eighth, scoring four runs on four hits coupled with a Colonel error. Buckley, Lieneck, Raad and junior Robert Foote (Walpole, MA/Walpole) plated one run apiece. After Simmons walked his first batter in the ninth, he fanned his next two before getting his final out on a fly ball to left.

The Lyons play their third straight non-conference game tomorrow afternoon when they travel to Springfield to take on Western New England College at 4:00 p.m. The Golden Bears are currently receiving votes in the national poll.

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