Five student-athletes collect multi-hit games

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Wheaton College baseball team registered 18 hits including six for extra bases en route to a 16-2 victory over Clark University on Tuesday afternoon at Granger Field in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) matchup.

Wheaton junior starter Mike Gibbons (Simsbury, Conn./Avon Old Farms) was credited with the win (3-0) on five innings pitched, three hits, zero runs, one walk and two strikeouts. The Lyons used five relievers total after Gibbons exited the game highlighted by shutout frames from sophomore Jared Clement (Wrentham, Mass./Saint Sebastian's) and senior Mike Mcginnis (Mashpee, Mass./Mashpee).

Clark's Casey Marvell (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna) took the loss on five innings, ten hits and six runs (all earned).

Leading 2-0 in the top of the fifth, the Lyons put four runs on the scoreboard using five hits in the frame including two extra base knocks. Sophomore Matt Lavanchy (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) made it 3-0 with a triple down to right field plating junior Justin Peluso (North Reading, Mass./Saint John's Prep) who led off the inning with a single to right. Sophomore Justin Silvestro (Waltham, Mass./BC High) added a run-producing double to right and senior Kevin Foley (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug) notched an RBI base hit to left to cap the scoring.

Wheaton put the game away in the ninth with seven runs on five hits, one error and two runners left on base. Silvestro drove in a pair with his first career triple to center, while Foley plated one run with a single. Senior Stefan Sunda (Bronx, N.Y./Riverdale/Kingsbridge Academy) and sophomore Mike Beneduce (North Kingstown, R.I./Moses Brown School) both ripped two-run doubles down the left field line giving the Lyons four doubles in the contest and a 16-1 advantage.

Clark received solo runs in the seventh and the ninth as sophomore James Conway (Newburyport, Mass./Newburyport) had an RBI single to right and classmate Zach Richall (Tyngsboro, Mass./Tyngsboro) was hit-by-a-pitch with the bases loaded, respectively.

Peluso, Lavanchy, junior Apolinar De La Cruz (Providence, R.I./Classical), Silvestro and Foley all had multi-hit games for Wheaton. De La Cruz finished the contest going 3-for-4 with one run scored and two RBI, while Silvestro went 2-for-5 with two runs and three RBI.

Wheaton (13-6-1, 4-2 NEWMAC) visits Endicott College on Thursday, April 3 for a non-conference matchup at 4 p.m. The Lyons will enter Thursday's contest on a five-game winning streak. Clark (4-14, 1-5 NEWMAC) takes on WPI on Friday at 3:30 p.m.

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