NEW LONDON, Conn. — Senior Cavan Brady (Sheffield, Mass.) was 4-4 with a walk and three runs batted in and sophomore starting pitcher Ryan McCarroll (Clifton Park, N.Y.) allowed just a run and struck out eight in seven and a third innings to lead the No. 8/9 top-seeded Wheaton College (Mass.) baseball team over fourth-seeded Husson University, 11-3, today at Alumni Field on the campus of host Mitchell College in New London, Conn.
The Lyons, who are ranked eighth in the most recent D3baseball.com national poll and ninth in the Collegiate Baseball/American Baseball Coaches Association survey improve to 38-6 on the season, while the Eagles fall to 24-18.
Wheaton will return to Alumni Field tomorrow to play the winner of number two seed Tufts University and third-seeded Mitchell at 12:00 p.m.
Wheaton's run total is its highest in NCAA Tournament play since a 13-9 victory over Saint Thomas College (Minn.) in Grand Chute, Wis. on May 28, 2012 in the College World Series. The margin of victory is the most for the Lyons in the NCAA Tournament since a 12-2 win over Keene State College on May 15, 2008 in Harwich, Mass.
Wheaton scored the first eight runs of the game, before Husson got on the board with a run in the top of the seventh to make it 8-1. The Lyons closed out their scoring with three runs in the seventh, before the Eagles scored twice in the ninth to set the final at 11-3.
Brady recorded the second four-hit effort of his career, including his 21st double of the year to put him one shy of the single-season school record. He also scored a pair of runs. McCarroll improves to 9-1 on the season to leave him one win shy of the single-season standard of 10. His eight strikeouts give him 76 on the season to tie him for the single-season school record set by Chris McDonough in 2006. McCarroll allowed just five hits and two walks. Sophomore left fielder Kevin Matos (Lawrence, Mass.) was 2-5 with a pair of doubles, one run batted in and a run scored, while junior right fielder Tommy Ambrosone (Hopkinton, Mass.) was 2-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Sophomore first baseman Timmy Wagner (Hingham, Mass.) was 2-4 with a solo home run and two runs scored.
First year right fielder Hunter Curtis (Ellsworth, Maine) paced Husson, going 2-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored, while first year catcher David York (Kennebunk, Maine) was 2-3 with a run batted in. Junior left fielder Akira Warren (Hallowell, Maine) was 2-3 with a run scored. Sophomore right-hander Matt Wallingford (Greene, Maine) suffered his first loss of the season against three wins, allowing six runs on 10 hits and three walks to go with a strikeout in five and a third innings of work.
Wheaton got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 2-0 lead. Brady ripped a single to center field for the Lyons' first hit of the game, before Matos doubled down the right field line to put both runners in scoring position with no outs. Wallingford got the next two hitters and looked to get out of the inning, but Ambrosone sent the ninth pitch of the at-bat into left center field to plate both runners to give Wheaton an early two-run lead.
The Lyons added a pair of runs in the fourth to double their lead and take a 4-0 advantage. Brady opened the frame with a double down the line and later scored when senior catcher Robert Wirtanen (Brentwood, N.H.) laced a ball just inside the third base bag for a run-scoring double to bring Brady around with Wheaton's third run. Wirtanen scampered home to make it 4-0 on back-to-back wild pitches.
The Lyons tacked on another run in the fifth for a 5-0 lead. Croteau pulled a two-out single to right field before Brady beat out an infield single to shortstop. Matos followed with an RBI double to left to plate Brady and give Wheaton a five-run cushion.
The Lyons scored three times in the sixth to put a comfortable eight-run difference between them and Husson. Wagner led off the inning with his third home run of the season over the left field fence. Two outs later, Wheaton loaded the bases after junior center fielder AJ Guindon (Coventry, R.I.) was hit by a pitch, senior second baseman Mike Maher (Jefferson, Mass.) singled to left and Croteau drew a walk to load the bases for Brady, who came into the game 8-10 with the sacks full. The senior didn't disappoint, stroking a two-run single to left field to give the Lyons an 8-0 advantage.
The Eagles broke into the scoring column, scoring their first run with two outs in the seventh. Warren singled to center, before junior Jackson Curtis (Ellsworth, Maine) doubled to left to end the shutout bid for Wheaton's McCarroll and cut the deficit to 8-1.
The Lyons added three more runs to give them at least one run in four straight innings and increase their lead to 11-1.
Wheaton loaded the bases again after Wagner and Ambrosone both singled, followed by an intentional walk issued to Guindon. Maher worked a walk to force in a run and Ambrosone scored on a passed ball to give the Lyons double-digits in runs. Croteau re-loaded the bases after drawing a walk and Brady followed suit with a walk of his own to drive in his third run and give Wheaton an 11-1 margin.
Husson scored the final two runs of the game to pull within 11-3. Graduate student Ethan Stoddard (Old Town, Maine) opened the final inning with a double to right and scored on a single to center off the bat of Hunter Curtis. He stole second and then scored after York punched a single to right field for the final run of the contest.