Wheaton Baseball Earns 4-3 Win Over Babson

BABSON PARK, Mass. – The Wheaton College baseball team squeezed in the game winning run in the ninth inning of its New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) series opening contest against Babson, defeating the Beavers 4-3 at Govoni Field.

The Lyons improve to 13-6 on the season and 4-2 in conference play, while the Beavers slip to 11-5-1 (3-1 NEWMAC).

Wheaton jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. Justin Silvestro came in to score the first run on a fielder's choice by Zachary Goodwin-Boyd. First-year Willy Boyd knocked in the second run with a two out, single through the left side.

Babson cut the deficit in half in the bottom half of the inning with a solo homerun by Mark Webber. The Beavers went onto tie the game in the fourth.

The Lyons recaptured the lead in the top of the fifth when Silvestro followed a pair of infield hits with an RBI single through the right side, knocking in Jimmy Smith.

Adam Ayala knotted the game at 3-3 in the eighth with a two-out single through the right side before stealing second and then coming around to score on a double by a teammate.

Wheaton made things interesting in the ninth, beginning with a leadoff double by Smith. The senior centerfielder then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Joshua LaJoie. He came around to score moments later on a sacrifice squeeze bunt by Matt Lavanchy. 

Senior Eric Dumas came in in the bottom half of the ninth to earn his eighth save of the season. Michael Baryski collected his second win of the season, while starting pitcher Michael Bruemmel collected a no-decision after seven innings of work.