Norton, MA --- WPI baseball rallied from a four-run deficit to take a lead, but a late sacrifice fly lifted Wheaton to a 10-9 victory in the NEWMAC opener for both teams on Tuesday afternoon at Sidell Stadium. The Engineers fall to 7-8 overall and 0-1 in conference play, while the Lyons improve to 8-7 (1-0 NEWMAC).
 
Jack Zawacki (Pittsford, NY) drove in three runs on two hits and Zachary Roethlein (Pomfret Center, CT) added two RBI to pace the WPI offense. Jonathan Lattimer (Windsor, CT) had a pair of hits, while Chuck Cappello (Southboro, MA), Tommy Burns (Morris Plains, NJ), Liam Keblin (Newton, MA), and Miles Pratt (Hampton, NH) all drove in runs.
 
Jacob Wiberg (Exeter, NH) started for WPI, allowing eight runs (five earned) over 3.2 innings. Brian Riley (Portland, ME) provided 3.1 innings of relief, giving up just one run on four hits, and D.C. Brown (Plymouth, MA) took the loss after surrendering the go-ahead run in the eighth.
 
Wheaton was led by Timmy Wagner (Hingham, MA), who went 3-for-4 with three RBI. Nick Ayres (Duxbury, MA) added two hits and two RBI while Tommy Beauregard (Salem, MA) drove in two runs on a pair of walks. Tyler Bellan (Franklin, MA) chipped in two hits, an RBI, and a run scored, while Casey Wensley (Raynham, MA) and Kevin Matos (Lawrence, MA) contributed RBI in the win.
 
The Lyons used five pitchers, with Evan Mello (New Bedford, MA) earning the win with 1.2 scoreless innings and Josh Fischer (Hopkinton, MA) securing the save with a clean ninth.
 
Wheaton jumped ahead with three runs in the first, taking advantage of a walk, hit batter, and a bases-loaded walk by Wagner. WPI responded with four in the top of the second, highlighted by Roethlein's two-run double. Zawacki doubled in a run to start the rally, while Pratt and Burns also plated runs in the frame.
 
The Lyons scored five more runs between the second and fourth innings, including a two-RBI double from Wagner and an RBI single from Ayres to take an 8-4 lead.
 
WPI answered with a four-run fifth to surge ahead 9-8. Zawacki plated two with a single to left, followed by an RBI single from Cappello and a groundout from Keblin that brought home Roethlein for the go ahead run.
 
Wheaton pulled back in front in the seventh on a Beauregard bunt and added what proved to be the game-winning run in the eighth when Wensley scored on a sac fly from Matos.
 
In the top of the ninth, Fischer sat the Engineers down in order to seal the victory for the Lyons.
 
Up next, both teams host non-conference clashes on Thursday afternoon. WPI welcomes Nichols at 3pm, while Wheaton takes on RIC at 3:30pm.