Clearwater, FL - The Wheaton College baseball team gave head coach Eric Podbelski the program's 200th victory in its eighth varsity season Saturday afternoon, as the Lyons posted 18 plus runs for the second time this week with an 18-5 rout over Montclair State University.
Averaging 28 victories a year in each of its first seven seasons, Wheaton improves its mark to 5-1 overall.The Red Hawks fall to 3-5 on the season with the loss.
The Lyons scored early and often against Montclair State, exploding for seven runs in the second inning for an 8-0 lead. Wheaton then outscored the Red Hawks, 10-5 the rest of the way, including four runs in the seventh, three in the fifth and two in the fourth.
The Blue and White racked up 17 hits with an outstanding seven multiple-hit performances, while Montclair was charged with 12 hits and 10 errors. Freshman Scott Guillerault had an impressive outing, going 3-for-6 with a Wheaton season-high five RBI, one run and a bases-clearing double in the second. Junior Mark Baumer was 3-for-4 with four runs scored, three RBI,a three-run homer in the fifth, while senior Rob Cipolla went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs scored, a two-run homer in the seventh and a double.
Senior Jon Jackson recorded his second pitching victory of the week, scattering seven hits and four runs over five innings with two strikeouts and four walks.Junior Jamie Baker fired three scoreless innings with four strikeouts in middle relief, while senior Kevin Doherty finished the game in the ninth with his first appearance of the season.
TOMMY WARTH and
DANNY RODRIGUEZ were each 3-for-4 for the Red Hawks. Warth drove in a pair of runs with a two-run single in the third as Montclair scored four times to cut the deficit to 8-4.
MATT HARTWICK had a pinch-hit RBI single.
JAIRO MENDEZ (1-2) took the loss allowing eight runs (four earned)and five hits in three innings.
Montclair State now returns home where it will open up its seventh season at Yogi Berra Stadium against Wilmington (DE) College on Wednesday, March 23 at 3:00 pm.
