Second-place Lyons drop NEWMAC finale to first-place Babson, 4-2

April 17, 2008

NORTON, MA- The nationally-ranked Wheaton College baseball team fell to first-place Babson College, 4-2 on Thursday at Sidell Stadium in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action. Wheaton, which can still finish even with the Beavers and earn at least a tie for its 10th straight regular season crown, fell to 24-7 overall and 9-3 in the league, while Babson is 23-8 and 9-1.

The Lyons, who are ranked ninth nationally by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and were playing their 2008 conference finale, claimed at least a share of first place in the final league standings during each of the NEWMAC's initial nine seasons. Wheaton is still in line to host at least a NEWMAC Tournament first-round contest next Wednesday at 3:30 p.m., as final tournament seeds will be determined this weekend.

Babson captured a 2-0 lead in the second inning behind junior Jeff Wojnar's (Bellaire, TX/Episcopal) two-run homer. The Beavers tacked on another run in the fourth thanks to sophomore Jake Bartlett's (Weymouth, MA/Boston College) RBI single before the visitors put two on with two out, but Wheaton senior southpaw Chris McDonough (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) averted further damage with an inning-ending strikeout. McDonough also pitched out of a two-on, none-out jam the following inning without being scored upon.

Wheaton's bats were held at bay during the first four-plus innings by Babson freshman Andrew Aizenstadt (Norwell, MA/Norwell), as only one of the Lyons' initial 15 hitters reached base, on a two-out error in the second. With two down in the fifth, junior Nick Pecora (Highland Park, NJ/Immaculata) beat out an infield single for the hosts' first hit and moved to second on an ensuing error before being stranded.

Down 3-0, the Lyons began the seventh with a pair of hits through the left side, as freshman Sean Munley (Trenton, NJ/The Hun School of Princeton) and junior Robert Foote (Walpole, MA/Walpole) rapped consecutive singles. However, Aizenstadt induced a fielder's choice grounder and a double play to end the frame.

Wheaton again threatened in the eighth, as freshman Eric Laliberte (Nashua, NH/Bishop Guertin) singled up the middle leading off before classmate Ted Skelley (Wolfeboro, NH/Holderness School) drew a pinch-hit walk. Three batters later, senior Scott Guillerault (South Portland, ME/South Portland) walked to load the bases, and Munley came through with a two-out, two-run single to make the score 3-2.

Foote was hit by a pitch to reload the bases before Babson sophomore Dave Ahern (Bedford, MA/Bedford), his team's second reliever of the frame, induced an inning-ending grounder. Ahern's sac fly in the ninth produced an insurance run before he set the Lyons down 1-2-3 in the bottom half, fanning the final two batters.

Munley finished 2-for-4 with two RBI for Wheaton, which ended with five hits and seven runners left on base. Foote, Laliberte and Pecora had the Lyons' other hits. McDonough suffered just his second loss of the season after yielding three runs on nine hits in seven innings, fanning six without walking a batter.

Wojnar ended up 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, the home run and a double. Ahern and Bartlett also each went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Aizenstadt improved to 5-0 behind seven-plus innings of four-hit ball. He yielded two runs while walking two and striking out four. Ahern tossed 1.1 no-hit innings for his third save, striking out two.

Wheaton is back in action tomorrow, as the Lyons continue a run of four games in as many days. The Blue and White travels to local foe Bridgewater State College for a 3:30 p.m. contest. The teams met last Wednesday in Norton, as the Lyons picked up an 11-2 win.

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