Commencement's Extra Inning
Graduating baseball players included (left to right) Joseph DeMartino, Kevin Doherty, Jon Jackson, Mattew Ponte, Michael Banda and Keith Cooper. (Not pictured: Robert Cipolla)
With the Wheaton baseball team participating in tournament play this spring, the team's seven seniors weren't able to attend commencement. But Wheaton had the bases covered with a special post-commencement ceremony for the players on May 24. Parents, teammates and members of the athletics staff were on hand in the Haas Athletic Center to root for the seniors as they accepted their diplomas from Dean of Students Sue Alexander. Afterwards, grads and guests stepped up to the plate for a lunch of Chinese food from Tsang's. Although the team lost to Trinity College on May 23, they finished the regular season with an impressive 33-12 record. Cooper and Ponte were selected to play in the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association All-Star game at Fenway Park on June 5.
In recent years, the college has conducted the special ceremony whenever baseball or softball tournament play conflicts with commencement. One popular feature has been the singing of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in place of the Wheaton hymn.
