HARWICH, Mass. - Sixth-seeded Western New England College managed only five hits in suffering a 6-0 loss against top-seeded Wheaton in a winners' bracket contest at the NCAA Division III New England Regional Championship Friday afternoon (May 19) at Whitehouse Field.

The Golden Bears (35-11) will face either fourth-seeded Middlebury or fifth-seeded Southern Maine in an elimination game at 8:00 p.m. Friday (May 19).

Wheaton (36-8) took a 1-0 lead in the third and tallied three times in the fourth before adding single runs in the fifth and eighth.

WNEC (35-11) had runners on second and third with one-out in the sixth, but couldn't score. The Golden Bears also had runners on first and second with two outs in the ninth, but couldn't avoid being blanked for the first time this season.

Senior second baseman Jason Connelly (Scituate, MA) went 2-for-4 for Western New England College while junior left fielder Eric Smolin (Westford, MA) had a double. Freshman Jason Pizzoferrato (Windsor, CT) gave up five runs in six innings in losing for only the second time in 12 decisions this season.

Wheaton had 13 hits with sophomore second baseman Jake Yagjian (Brewster, MA) leading the way by going 4-for-5 with a double, two RBI and a run. Senior Chris Martin (Marshfield, MA) allowed only three hits and fanned six with six walks. The Lyons had four double plays in the game.

Whitehouse Field, Harwich, Mass.
Host: Eastern College Athletic Conference

Seedings - 1. Wheaton (34-8), 2. Saint Joseph's, Maine (33-8-1), 3. Middlebury (24-9), 4. Salem State (33-6), 5. Southern Maine (29-15), 6. Western New England College (33-10), 7. Bowdoin (28-8-1).

Friday, May 19, 2006
Game 9 - Wheaton 6, Western New England College 0
Game 10 - Middlebury vs. Southern Maine, 4:30 p.m.
Game 11 - Western New England College vs. Winner of Game 10, 8:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 18, 2006
Game 5 - Middlebury 10, Bowdoin 8 (Bowdoin eliminated)
Game 6 - Western New England College 11, Saint Joseph's, Maine 10 (10 innings)
Game 7 - Middlebury 14, Salem State 4 (Salem State eliminated)
Game 8 - Southern Maine 10, Saint Joseph's, Maine 1 (St. Joseph's, Maine eliminated)

Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Game 1 - Salem State 8, Southern Maine 5
Game 2 - Saint Joseph's, Maine 9, Bowdoin 7
Game 3 - Western New England College 14, Middlebury 2
Game 4 - Wheaton 5, Salem State 2

Saturday, May 20, 2006
Game 12 - Winner of Game 9 vs. Winner of Game 11, Noon
Game 13 - Same two teams (if necessary) approximately 50 minutes following the conclusion of Game 12 or at a time determined by the tournament committee.

Sunday-Monday, May 21-22, 2006
Rain days (times tba)