Peluso drives in game-winning run
NORTON, Mass. – Wheaton College junior infielder Justin Peluso (North Reading, Mass./Saint John's Prep) delivered a walk-off, bases loaded infield single to propel the Lyons past UMass Boston, 5-4, in 12 innings at Sidell Stadium in non-conference action on Tuesday evening.
Prior to today's game, Wheaton seniors Nick Filloramo (Rochester, Mass./Old Rochester Regional), Kevin Foley (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug), Gordy Thomas (Wellesley, Mass./Wellesley), Alec Palioca (Wrentha, Mass./King Philip Regional), Mike McGinnis (Mashpee, Mass./Mashpee), Stefan Sunda (Bronx, N.Y./Riverdale/Kingsbridge Academy) and Ryan Grant (Easton, Mass./Avon Old Farms) were all honored for their contributions towards the baseball program.
With two outs in the bottom of the 12th inning, Peluso one-hopped a 3-2 offering to Beacons' junior shortstop Bryan Failla (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) who made a slick diving stop to his right but upon getting up from the infield dirt Failla did not have a throw at any base allowing Wheaton junior Apolinar De La Cruz (Providence, R.I./Classical) to score the game-winning run from third.
De La Cruz led off the frame with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by classmate Mike Bisceglia (New Boston, N.H./Goffstown) to initiate the offense. After sophomore Justin Silvestro (Waltham, Mass./B.C. High) was intentionally walked to set up a potential inning-ending double play situation, Foley grounded out to first advancing both runners. Junior catcher Zach Horton (North Attleboro, Mass./North Attleboro) followed with a six-pitch walk to load the bases and set up the game-winning RBI at-bat for Peluso.
Wheaton sophomore Mike Koperniak (Adams, Mass./Hoosac Valley) earned the win in relief throwing a clean 12th inducing a pop out, ground out and fly out in the frame. Junior starter Mike Gibbons (Simsbury, Conn./Avon Old Farms) went three innings, allowed two hits and fanned two batters, while Thomas, sophomore Steve Consiglio (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug) and Grant did not allow a run in their relief appearances for the Lyons.
UMass Boston senior reliever Tom Cole (Mattapoisett, Mass./Old Rochester Regional) took the loss on 1 2/3 innings, two hits, one run (earned) and two walks. Junior starter Steve Roche (Worcester, Mass./Saint Peter-Marian) went five innings, yielded just two hits, two runs (one earned) and one walk. Classmate Josh Cummiskey (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) also threw a scoreless sixth inning.
The Lyons claimed an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as De La Cruz drove in his team-leading 30th RBI on a fielder's choice. The Beacons evened the score in the fifth with a run-producing triple off the bat of senior outfielder Jamill Moquete (Boston, Mass./Madison Park Technical Vocational) to left-center.
In the seventh, UMass Boston jumped ahead by a 3-2 margin on a throwing error and RBI single up the middle from freshman Daniel Mantoni (Northbridge, Mass./Hopedale) before the Lyons took advantage of a throwing error in the eighth to tie the game at 3-3.
Both teams were held scoreless until the top of the tenth inning when UMass Boston junior outfielder Anthony Gomes-Sirianni (San Francisco, Calif./South San Francisco) plated the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice.
Horton forced play to continue in the bottom half of the tenth as he dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt down the first base line scoring Bisceglia from third. Bisceglia worked a leadoff walk despite being down 0-2 in the count, advanced to second after Silvestro was hit-by-a-pitch and then both runners advanced an extra base on a balk.
Wheaton (27-2-1) travels to Amherst College on Thursday, May 1 for a non-conference game at 4 p.m. UMass Boston (14-20) visits Saint Joseph's (Me.) at 5 p.m. tomorrow evening.
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