Laliberte pitches six strong in start for Lyons
NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College baseball team, ranked no.10 overall in the latest D3baseball.com national poll, fell to Bridgewater State University, 2-0, in non-conference action on Tuesday evening at Sidell Stadium.
Junior right-handed pitcher Patrick Martin (Rockland, Mass./Rockland) scattered 11 hits over eight-and-two-thirds innings, issued one walk and struck out three batters to improve to 2-0 on the season for the Bears. Freshman reliever Chris Pessotti (Burlington, Mass./Burlington) earned his first-career save inducing a fly out to left field to close out the game.
Senior Corey Laliberte (Fall River, Mass./B.M.C. Durfee) held the visitors scoreless over six innings of work yielding two hits, one walk and two punchouts. Freshman Steve Consiglio (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug) was saddled with the loss on two-thirds of an inning, three hits and two runs (both earned). Junior Ryan Grant (Easton, Mass./Avon Old Farms) completed the final one-and-one-thirds innings allowing just one hit.
After seven scoreless innings, the Bears finally broke open the shutout with two runs on a bloop single down the left field line by senior designated hitter Jose Polanco (Lawrence, Mass./Central Catholic) with the bases loaded scoring classmates Tory Buck (Shelburne Falls, Mass./Mohawk Trail Regional) and David Pierce (East Bridgewater, Mass./East Bridgewater).
Wheaton freshman center fielder Jimmy Smith (Worcester, Mass./Saint John's) prevented Bridgewater State from scoring earlier in the frame as he gunned down senior Trevor Lawson (Easton, Mass./Oliver Ames at home) at home after Buck ripped a single to center field.
In the seventh, the Bears escaped a bases loaded jam with one out in the inning. Martin induced a shallow fly out to right field and a ground out to keep the score even (0-0).
Freshman Eric Dumas (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) pushed his scoreless streak to ten-and-one-thirds innings in the top half of the seventh with one strikeout. Dumas entered the contest with runners at second and third and two outs. On the season, Dumas is a perfect 6-for-6 when inheriting runners out of the bullpen.
The Lyons collected 11 hits total including multi-hit games from sophomores Kevin Foley (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug) and Apolinar De la Cruz (Providence, R.I./Classical) and senior Dan Gusovsky (Andover, Mass./Andover). Both hits for De la Cruz were doubles.
Wheaton (8-5, 3-0 NEWMAC) travels to Salem State University for a non-conference matchup on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. Bridgewater State (6-5, 0-0 MASCAC) visits Curry College tomorrow for a non-conference game scheduled for 3:30 p.m.