Keene, NH ---Wheaton freshman Kelly Welch (Wood Dale, IL) blasted a two-run, walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh to help lift the top-seeded Lyons to a 5-3 victory over #7 Worcester State in the ECAC Division III New England Tournament Championship game hosted by Keene State at the Owl Athletics Complex.
The crown is the first for Wheaton (28-16) who is making their fifth ECAC appearance as they had never previously been to the title game. The Lancers, who won the 1990 ECAC Division III North Championship, see their season end at 25-18.
Worcester State opened the contest with the early 2-0 advantage in the top of the second.
Senior Hannah Everson (Methuen, MA) cranked her first-career home run on a solo shot to left field to jump start the Blue and Gold before classmate Alex Kerr (Franklin, MA) drove in fourth-year Aimee Lamoureux (E. Brookfield, MA) on an RBI squeeze play.
But the Lyons came right back in the bottom of the third when junior Jenna Rocha (Rehoboth, MA) hammered her fourth homer of the season over the left field fence for a two-run round-tripper to equalize the game 2-2.
Wheaton scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth on rare double-steal play, off a walk, for the 3-2 edge.
After freshman Erin Deneen (Framingham, MA) stroked a lead-off triple down the left field line, Jenna Rocha was issued a base on balls, but caught the defense napping as she made a move for second. When the catcher let go of the throw to second, Deneen took off and scampered home for the score.
With two outs in the top of the sixth, junior Hillary Hart (Clinton, MA) helped her team register the tying run for the 3-3 game with a solo dinger to left field for her squad-best third of the year.
The play set the stage for Walsh's late inning heroics in the bottom of the seventh.
With two outs, freshman Marissa Timoteo (Jupiter, FL) rapped out a double to the deep part in centerfield and then Welch delivered a two-run homer off the scoreboard for the game-ending hit.
Sophomore Emily Berardi (Boston, MA/Boston Latin) was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player for earning the victory in circle twice during the competition. She posted a 1.62 earned run average with five strikeouts in 13 innings which includes a two-hit shutout over eighth-seeded Becker in the opening round.
Berardi (8-4) gave up three earned runs on seven hits to go along with three strikeouts. She did not walk a batter.
Everson (11-8) was dealt the loss as she permitted five earned runs on 10 base-knocks to go with one strikeout and a pair of free passes.
For the tournament, Everson earned the decision in a pair of victories and she fanned nine in 21.2 innings which included a 5-0, two-hit shutout over third-seeded Keene State in the semifinals. For her efforts she was named MASCAC Player and Pitcher of the Week.
Welch, who finishes the year with a team-best six home runs, was 2-for-4 while Jenna Rocha also finished with a pair of hits on a homer and a double. Hart was the lone multi-hitter for the Lancers with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate and a home-run.
Photo Top (Left to Right): ECAC Representative Steve Rossetti with team captains Alex Kerr and Aimee Lamoureux along with Keene State representative Taylor Tully