HARWICH, Mass. – The season came to an end Thursday afternoon for the Husson baseball team in the NCAA Division III New England regional when Wheaton broke open an elimination game in the seventh inning.

Lyons catcher Dan Gusovsky cranked a grand slam over the left-field wall off Nate Adams of Frankfort to cap a six-run, five-hit inning that spoiled a 4-0 start through five innings for the seventh-seeded Eagles.

The third-seeded Lyons, who lost their opener to No. 6 St. Joseph’s on Wednesday, scored again in the ninth to complete an 8-4 win.

“That part of the order he was in hadn’t been giving him trouble,” Husson Coach Jason Harvey said of Adams. “So we were more lenient letting him go. But one bad pitch and that’s the ballgame.”

Wheaton got back-to-back singles to start the seventh before Eric Laliberte loaded the bases by reaching on a bunt.

Eric Munley singled in a run before Gusovsky belted his home run to help keep Wheaton’s season alive.

The game marked the end of six college careers, including Portland pitcher Ryan Arsenault, who suffered a 2-0 loss in Husson’s opener.

“With Ryan and Nate, there’s nobody else we’d want to have the ball,” said Harvey. “You have trust in them, and you trust them in big situations.”

Husson has reached the tournament two times in the last three years. The Eagles finished one shy of a 30-win season.

“It’s good baseball down here. It’s nice for our younger guys to experience this,” Harvey said. “Ending the season is always difficult. It got emotional here.

“These seniors were our first class (as a coaching staff). To see them grow as ballplayers and human beings has been really special.”

Husson’s other seniors were shortstop Ethan Guerette of Sabattus, pitcher Dan Beatham of Dexter, first baseman Chris Maguire of Orland, pitcher Ryan Walker of Hollis and pitcher Aaron Sullivan of Eastport.

SOLIDARITY HAIRCUTS: Some of the St. Joseph’s players, led by infielder Dan Achorn, used an electric razor for a show of solidarity on Thursday, shaving their heads in honor of assistant coach Corey McCarthy.

Their was a catch: They only shaved the tops of their heads, and called it the “McCarthy Crewcut.”

HERE COMES THE SUN: While Maine and the rest of New England seemed to be a dreary, wet mess, sunshine made an appearance on Cape Cod. But it didn’t stay long, as fog rolled in just in time for the game between St. Joseph’s and Western New England.

AFTER A LAYOFF of two years when the New England regional was held in Mansfield, Conn., the tourney returned to the Cape this spring.

Whitehouse Field is one of 10 fields used in the storied Cape Cod League.

The league’s fields have had $1.5 million invested in improvements over the last five years, and Whitehouse Field is considered one of the top three.

Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at:

jmenendez@pressherald.com

Twitter: JennMenendez