Lyons Win Eighth Straight; Defeat Emerson 4-2

Photo is courtesy of Wheaton College

NORTON, Mass. - The Wheaton College baseball team picked up its eighth straight win on Friday afternoon, defeating Emerson College 4-2 at Sidell Stadium in game one of the teams three game New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) series.

The win moves the Lyons to 19-6 overall and 9-2 in the NEWMAC, while the Lions fall to 4-19 (0-8 NEWMAC).

Brady Furdon collected his fourth win of the season after completing eight innings, giving up two
runs on five hits, while striking out three. Senior Eric Dumas earned his career-high 11^th save of the year, which ranks him fourth all-time in single season saves at Wheaton.

The Lions earned two of their five hits in the first inning, starting with a leadoff single down the left field line by Mitch Moormann. Jim Cain reached moments later on a fielders choice and was promptly moved to second on a single by Pablo Feldman. Despite the momentum Furdon quickly worked out of the jam.

Wheaton finally ended the scoreless deadlock in the bottom of the fifth, plating all four of its runs in the inning. Emerson helped Wheaton bring in two of its runs with an error at second that allowed Joshua LaJoie and Jimmy Smith to score.

Senior Justin Silvestro followed with a two-run shot over the fence in right field, picking up Matt Lavanchy. The homerun is Silvestro's team-leading fifth of the season.

Furdon sat the Lions down in order in the sixth and seventh inning, before surrendering two runs in the eighth. Moormann knocked in the first run with an RBI groundout to Furdon, cutting the deficit to 4-1. A single up the middle by Jim Cain brought in the final run of the inning and the game.

Dumas took the mound in the ninth and quickly retired the side, preserving the win.

The two teams return to the field on Saturday, April 16 for a double-header at Emerson. The first game is set for 12 p.m.