BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Rookie shortstop Eric Jensen (Gorham, NH) drove in the game-winning run with an RBI single in the top of the seventh inning as the visiting Wheaton College Lyons edged Bridgewater State College, 7-6 , this afternoon at Alumni Park in Bridgewater.
With the win the Lyons improve to 13-5 on the year. Bridgewater falls to 10-8 as five of the Bears' eight losses this season have been by a single run.
With the score tied at 6-6 in the seventh, Dan Haugh (3B; Andover, MA) led of the top half of the inning with a base hit and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Jensen then lined a 2-1 pitch into center field plating Haugh with the go ahead run.
Bridgewater opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a run off Wheaton freshman starter Corey Laliberte (Fall River, MA). Brian Medairos (SS; Brockton, MA) led off the frame with a single and moved to third on a pair of passed balls. Mark Claffey (3B; Bellingham, MA) and Matt Greenberg (DH; Norwell, MA) followed with back-to-back walks to load the bases with nobody out. Laliberte then induced a big double play ground out which plated Medairos but also helped minimize the damage.
Wheaton responded in the top of the second as Haugh tied the game with a lead-off home run. Sean Munley (1B; Trenton, NJ) walked but was still standing at first as BSC left-hander Billy Blaisdell (Chelmsford, MA) retired the next two batters. Munley then stole second and came around to score on an RBI single by Hadi Raad (RF; Hastings-on-Hudson, NY). Raad would advance all the way to third on a passed ball and cross the plate on an RBI single by Tad Skelley (2B; Wolfeboro, NH). Skelley came around to score the Lyons' fourth run of the inning on a double to center off the bat of Hal Landers (CF; Salem, NH).
Bridgewater State matched Wheaton's four runs with a four-spot in the bottom half of the second. The Bears loaded the bases with nobody out as Tyler Dennis (2B; Stoughton, MA) reached on an error, John Garabedian (CF; Mansfield, MA) walked and Keane Costa (C; Fairhaven, MA) singled. Greg Steele (RF; North Dighton, MA) then chased Laliberte from the game with a bases clearing double to right-center field. Steele would move to third on a ground out and score on a passed ball to give BSC the 5-4 lead.
Laliberte went just an inning plus as he gave up five runs (three earned) on three hits and three walks.
The Bears would make it a two-run advantage with an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth as Steele, who reached on a throwing error, came around to score on a wild pitch.
Wheaton tied the game in the top of the sixth on a two-run single by Skelley. The Lyons had loaded the bases with nobody out on three straight singles by Jensen, Dan Gusovsky (C; Andover, MA) and Raad. Left-hander Jonathan Surette (Lynn, MA) replaced Blaisdell on the mound for the Bears, but was greeted by Skelley's game-tying base hit. Surette retired the next three batters, including the last two by strikeout, to avoid any further damage in the inning.
Wheaton's bullpen would keep the Bears off the scoreboard over the final five innings as the Lyons' relief corps retired 16 of the final 17 batters they faced including the last 11 in a row. Five pitchers combined to give up just one unearned run on three hits with one walk and eight strikeouts over eight innings of work.
Rookie right-hander Mike McGinnis (Mashpee, MA) was the pitcher of record for Wheaton as he worked a scoreless sixth. McGinnis (2-0) struck out three batters in the inning and also stranded a runner at third. Righty closer Jon Shepard (Salisbury, MA) set down the side in order in the ninth to register his third save of the season.
Surette (0-2) was tagged with the loss as he gave up the go ahead run in the seventh. The starter Blaisdell was touched up for six runs on ten hits over five plus innings of work as he walked two and struck out five. Jeff Puopolo (Brockton, MA), the reigning MASCAC Pitcher of the Week, struck out three of the four batters he faced in a scoreless ninth inning.
Jensen and Raad paced Wheaton's 15-hit attack with three hits apiece. Jensen finished 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI, while Raad went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Haugh was 2-for-5 with a homer and two runs scored. Skelley also had multiple hits as he went 2-for-4 with a run and three runs batted in.
Offensively for the Bears, Steele finished 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBI, while Costa went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
In upcoming action, Bridgewater will host Johnson & Wales University on Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 PM. The Bears will also entertain UMass Boston on Friday at three o'clock before heading to Framingham State College on Saturday for a MASCAC doubleheader with the Rams (1:00 PM).