West Massachusetts News

Senior shortstop Cavan Brady drove in three runs as Wheaton College scored four in the first and never looked back on the way to a 9-5 win over the Amherst College baseball team on Sunday afternoon at Sidell Stadium, where the Lyons have not lost since 2019.

The reigning NEWMAC champion Lyons improved to 12-2 this season with their 10th straight win, while the Mammoths fell to 6-3-1.

The Mammoths are back in action on Wednesday (March 29), hosting Clark at 4 p.m. on Memorial Field.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* The Lyons quickly put four runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning. After a pair of singles had runners on first and second, Brady singled and advanced to third on an error, scoring two runs. A sacrifice fly by senior catcher Robert Wirtanen and a bases-loaded walk to junior outfielder Amedeo Ucci added another pair of runs for Wheaton.

* The Mammoths got one back in the fifth inning as sophomore outfielder Jack Boyle reached base on an error, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. With two outs and runners at the corners, sophomore Ryan McIntyre grounded to the shortstop, who flipped the ball to second but the out to end the inning was recorded by a tag rather than a force out, so the run counted as the speedy Boyle crossed home plate before the tag was applied at second.

* Wheaton scored two more in the bottom of the fifth as the Lyons opened the inning with a Wirtanen single and a double from sophomore outfielder Kevin Matos. Wirtanen scored on a wild pitch and sophomore Tommy Beauregard dropped a base hit into right field to score Matos and give the Lyons a 6-1 lead.

* Brady picked up another RBI for the Lyons with a 6th-inning sacrifice fly that scored senior infielder Mike Maher, who singled to lead off the inning. The Mammoths turned a double play to avoid any further damage in the inning.

* The Mammoths plated three runs in the top of the eighth as senior outfielder Jack Dove hit a grounder through the right side with the bases loaded to score a pair of runs. Senior outfielder Jackson Reydel then came in to score as the next batter grounded into a double play, bringing Amherst back within two runs.

* The Lyons responded in the bottom of the eighth as senior infielder Nick Croteau doubled in a run and Brady drove in his third of the game with a single.

* Amherst added one more run in the top of the ninth as McIntyre reached on an error with two outs, allowing sophomore Jack Sampedro to score from third.

BY THE NUMBERS:

* Sophomore pitcher Ryan McCarroll earned the win for the Lyons, allowing only one unearned run over the first five innings with four strikeouts. Junior Matthew Pizzelli and sophomore Joe Mulhern each pitched a scoreless inning of relief for Wheaton.

* Junior first baseman Luke Padian reached base four times for the Mammoths, going 2-for-3 with two walks.

* The Lyons outhit the Mammoths, 15-8.
  

Original source can be found here.