Tag Archives: Marietta College

Jan 23 2013

Mass. College Baseball: Wheaton Earns Top Spot In D3Baseball.com Preseason Poll

By NoontimeSports.com 

Courtesy of our friends from the Wheaton College sports information department, here’s today’s release pertaining toward the Lyons baseball team, which was ranked first in the D3Baseball.com preseason poll. The Lyons earned a spot in the NCAA Div. III World Series last May for the second time in six seasons, but came up short to Marietta College. Here’s the release:

NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College baseball team has been ranked first overall in the latest D3baseball.com Top 25 Preseason Poll after receiving eight first place votes and 594 points total. The Lyons are now ranked first overall in two separate preseason polls with their first place selection to the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper National Preseason Poll earlier this month.

Wheaton topped St. Thomas by eight points and Marietta, the defending NCAA Division III national champions, by 16 points to earn the number one spot in the preseason poll. The D3baseball.com Top 25 Poll is voted on by a panel of 25 coaches, Sports Information Directors and media members from across the country and is published weekly.

Cortland State checks in at fourth overall in the poll with 564 points while Whitworth rounds out the top-5 with 457 points. Region foes St. Joseph’s (Maine), Western New England and Trinity (Conn.) all rank inside the top-25, respectively. St. Joseph’s checks in at 14th overall, Western New England ranks 15th and Trinity has been tabbed as the 19th best team in the country.

The Lyons finished the 2012 season with a 41-11 record, the second most wins in program history, and a 16-2 mark in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). Wheaton returns its top three hitters from a year ago in senior Sean Ryan (Norton, Mass./Norton), sophomore Apolinar De la Cruz (Providence, R.I./Classical) and classmate Tyler Contillo (Montville, Conn./Montville).

Ryan posted a .384 batting average, a .402 on-base percentage and a .531 slugging percentage. Ryan led the team in batting average and slugging percentage wile De la Cruz hit .376/.443/.455 and Contillo compiled a .360/.500/.360 slash line at the plate.

On the hill, senior D3baseball.com preseason All-American Frank Holbrook (Middletown, R.I./Portsmouth Abbey School) returns to lead the Wheaton pitching staff which ranked tenth overall, nationally, in earned run average (ERA) last spring (2.80). Holbrook went 10-0 overall in 84.2 innings pitched, struck out 52 batters and held opponents to a .229 batting average.

Since 2008, the Lyons have had two players named to the D3baseball.com Preseason All-America team and two players earn honorable mention accolades. Dan Haugh ’12 (Andover, Mass./St. John’s Prep) was chosen to the first team in 2012 and Adam Gingras ’09 (Woonsocket, R.I.) was selected to the second team in 2009. Nolan Corr ’12 (Somersworth, N.H./Saint Thomas Aquinas) received honorable mention status in 2011 while De la Cruz picked up identical honors this season.

Junior closer Ryan Grant (Easton, Mass./Avon Old Farms School) will control the backend up the bullpen for the Lyons after finishing the 2012 season ranked no.1 overall in the nation in saves with 14. In 26.2 innings pitched, Grant struck out 18 batters and held opponents to a .200 batting average in 24 appearances.

As a team, Wheaton ranked seventh in the country in hits (555), tenth in ERA and 27th overall in runs scored (330). Ryan’s 86 hits last year were good enough for second overall in the country while Holbrook check in at ninth overall in ERA for the season.

The Lyons open up their 2013 season on Saturday, March 2 against St. Joseph’s (Long Island) at 11:00 a.m. in Patchogue, N.Y.

Aug 2 2012

Catching Up With Sean Ryan (Wheaton College Baseball)

Wheaton College’s Sean Ryan is experiencing a successful summer on the diamond with the Brockton Rox! (Photo Credit: Brockton Rox)

By Matt Noonan 

For the past few weeks, Wheaton College’s Sean Ryan has exhibited true offensive firepower with the Brockton Rox in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League.

This summer, the rising senior has recorded 52 hits, 22 RBIs, 21 runs, 16 stolen bases and 10 doubles. He’s also registered four triples, the most in the league thus far, and ranks second in batting average, too.

Yet, as much as Ryan would like to attribute his success on the field to practices and workouts, he insisted that a majority of his growth is owed to Wheaton’s head coach Eric Podbelski.

“I think Podbelski is really focused on the mental part of the game because you can’t allow yourself to get out, get upset and then bring that to your next at bat because then you’re most likely going to get out again, and get more upset,” said Ryan. “He’s really helped me with the mental game by staying calm, staying focused, and just focusing on the game and not statistics.”

This past season with the Lyons, Ryan led the unit with 86 hits and 30 stolen bases. He also tallied 49 runs, 37 RBIs and three home runs in a span of 52 games.

Wheaton managed to secure a spot in their second Div. III College Baseball World Series title match this past May, but once again fell short to Marietta College for the second time in six seasons.

Noontime Sports recently caught up with the Lyons slugger to discuss his success at Wheaton, along with his outlook on his upcoming senior year.

Growing up in Norton, did you ever consider playing baseball at Wheaton?

“When I was growing up, I honestly didn’t realize that Wheaton [was in my hometown]. I drove by it every day, and it didn’t even notice it. As I [learned] more about the program going into my senior year [at Norton High School] I realized that’s where I wanted to be.”

What was your first impression of Wheaton College?

“My first impression was Coach Podbelski, and how professional he was about everything. Every practice was just scheduled out [to perfection], there wasn’t any kind of confusion or anything, and everything was just a job. It was so organized.”

I know it’s been a few months since the World Series, but have you officially digested the defeat?

“It stings, it’s always going to sting. I have a feeling that we have a good chance to make it back to [the World Series next year] and that’s what we have to push for [next season].”

Prior to the first game against Marietta, did Coach Podbelski or any senior provide some words of wisdom about the series?

“As a team, our main idea is to treat every game like it’s a game. We can’t build up any game, [especially the World Series] because that’s when you start to make mistakes. And when it comes down to it, it’s the same game, still three outs, nothing changes.”

What do you think the postseason run will do for the program going forward?

“It’s good to put our program on the map. You get more recruits, you get even better, and Podbelski is the best coach, best recruiter that I’ve ever seen, so I feel like he’s going to make us better and better each year.”

In your honest opinion, what made Wheaton so successful this past year?

“We were a strong unit. We were all pushing for one goal, and when you get 30 guys pushing for one goal it makes it easier then when you have 10 guys pushing for one goal. Also, we [experienced] so much [this past] season, and we even had a point where we were losing close games and things weren’t going right, and as a team when that happens and then you’re able to pick yourself up after as a team, it’s really a maturing process. I felt when we entered the College Baseball World Series, we were a mature team and we were focused and ready.”

What are your overall thoughts on NEWMAC baseball?

“All the teams are well coached, and I feel like any [team] can win every year. My junior year, [this past spring], MIT came out of nowhere and they were a solid team, so I feel like every team is [constantly] getting better and better.”

Finally, do you think you’ll be able to cap off your senior season with a NCAA championship?

“First, you’ve got to win the NEWMAC, you’ve got to win that first, got to get there.”

Jun 1 2012

Wheaton Baseball – Photos/Videos From Thursday’s Rally

By NoontimeSports.com 

Courtesy of the Wheaton College Flickr page — check out various photos and videos from the baseball team’s triumphant return to campus on Thursday by CLICKING HERE.

Also, make sure to check out Dan Libon‘s piece from the college’s rally, too. You can access it by HOPPING HERE.

The Lyons appeared in their second College Baseball World Series championship this past week, but sadly came up short against Marietta.

May 31 2012

Wheaton College Returns Home From D3 Baseball Championship

Wheaton’s Baseball team returned to the Norton campus on Thursday, and celebrated their second place finish with friends and family! (Photo Credit: Dan Libon for Noontime Sports)

By Dan Libon 

NORTON, MA – Even though Wheaton College’s baseball team didn’t win their first Div. III National Championship, they were still winners in the eyes of their fans.

Greeted by friends, family, and members of the Wheaton College community on Thursday, the Lyons received a hero’s welcome as they returned to campus with a police and fire escort.

The 15th Lyons baseball season concluded with a conference and regional crown, but not a World Series victory. Wheaton finished the tournament in second place for the second time in six seasons, as the Lyons lost to Marietta College in two back-to-back contests.

Eric Podbelski addresses fans on Thursday. (Photo Credit: Dan Libon)

President Ronald Crutcher greeted the young men with some wise words once they returned to their home diamond, as well as commended all of their various accomplishments on and off the diamond, too.

“I just want to say to the members of the Wheaton baseball team how proud we all are of the way you represented us,” stated Crutcher. “I know you’ve all worked incredibly hard this year to accomplish what you’ve accomplished. I also know that you’re disappointed that you didn’t win the national championship but I want you to know [that] I’m incredibly proud of the way you’ve supported yourself. I’m incredibly proud of the skills that you’ve gained working as a team under the great leadership of coach [Eric] Podbelski.”

Crutcher also claimed that he tried to watch the game on his phone during a meeting of the NEWMAC presidents, but got caught after he was unable to mute the volume.

Eric Podbelski, who has been Wheaton’s skipper for all 15 seasons, was grateful by the support of the town and college community.

“I was overwhelmed while we were in Mansfield, Connecticut, and then Wisconsin with the amount of support [via] emails, [and] texts that we got probably from many of you that are here, but many others connected to Wheaton somehow that really seem to grab on to what his team was doing,” exclaimed Podbelski.

The Lyons earned three consecutive wins against St. Thomas, SUNY Cortland and Webster before falling to Marietta twice in the championship round.