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2005
NEWMAC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
Wheaton Set to Return to NCAA Tournament Following Thrilling 9-6
Eleven-Inning Victory over Springfield
NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College baseball team will make a return
to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the fifth time in six seasons,
as the Lyons plated three runs in the top half of the 11th inning
Monday afternoon to defeat a resilient Springfield College team,
9-6 in thrilling fashion in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic
Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament championship round at Sidell Stadium.
Capturing their sixth
NEWMAC Tournament championship in the seven-year history of the
conference, the Lyons, ranked 24th in the nation and second in New
England, collected their fifth straight victory to improve to 27-8
on the season. Seeded third in this year's conference tournament,
Springfield will now await a possible postseason berth into the
Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament with an overall
record of 19-15.
The Pride battled back
from a pair of multiple-run deficits this afternoon, including tying
the game at two in the sixth inning and six in the bottom half of
the ninth to force the extra-inning affair. With the score knotted
at two runs apiece heading into the seventh, Wheaton plated single
runs in the seventh and eighth frames followed by a two-run ninth
courtesy of a Mark Baumer (Durham, ME/Greely) double to right field
for a 6-2 advantage.
Springfield battled all
the way back from its four-run deficit, as the Pride used five hits
coupled with a throwing error to deadlock the game at six runs apiece.
Senior Anthony Gorneault (Springfield, MA/Cathedral) and juniors
Derek Yvon (East Longmeadow, MA/Cathedral) and Adam Tarquini (Fishkill,
NY/John Jay) each drove in a run in the frame. Following a scoreless
10th inning, the Lyons strung together a pair of hits by Baumer
and freshman Scott Guillerault (South Portland, ME/South Portland)
in the 11th to recapture the lead for good.
The Pride made things
difficult on the hosts in the bottom half of the inning, loading
the bases on a Yvon single and consecutive walks from seniors Matt
Basteri (Melrose, MA/Melrose) and John Beattie (Longmeadow, MA/Cathedral).
With one out on the board and the go-ahead run at the plate, Wheaton
senior righthander Kevin Doherty (Tewksbury, MA/Tewksbury) thwarted
Springfield's upset bid after catching the Pride's next two batters
looking on strikes. Doherty earned his second save of the season
with three strikeouts in the frame.
Freshman southpaw Josh
Moore (Manchester, NH/Manchester Memorial) picked up the win in
relief, allowing four runs on six hits with four strikeouts and
one walk in three innings of work. Junior Chris Martin (Marshfield,
MA/Marshfield) threw seven innings in the start, allowing two runs
on four hits while fanning three batters and issuing three walks.
Springfield junior Carl Longo (Manchester, NH/Manchester Central)
took the loss, surrendering two runs and two hits with one walk
in one inning. Sophomore starter Derek Hodder (Naugatuck, CT/Hamden)
went 6.2 innings and allowed three runs and six hits with one strikeout
and three walks.
Wheaton had four players
record three hits in the victory, including Baumer, Guillerault,
senior Keith Cooper (Swampscott, MA/The Pingree School) and sophomore
Brandon Leonard (Brockton, MA/Brockton). Baumer drove in three runs
and scored three times, while Leonard accounted for three runs scored.
For Springfield, Gorneault, Yvon and senior Michael Judge (Chatham,
NJ/Chatham) registered two hits apiece.
2005 NEWMAC BASEBALL
TOURNAMENT
Wheaton 9, Springfield 6
SCORING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R H E
Wheaton (27-8) 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 3 9 14 4
Springfield (19-15) 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0 6 10 2
Wheaton: Chris Martin, Josh Moore (8), Kevin Doherty (11) and Adam
Laplante
Springfield: Derek Hodder, Joe Carlos (7), Scott Samolewicz (9),
Carl Longo (11) and Adam Tarquini
WP: Moore (4-1) LP: Longo (0-1) Save: Doherty (2)
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