NORFOLK, Va. - The 26th-ranked Salisbury University baseball team got off to a cold start to the 2007 season Sunday afternoon as the Sea Gulls dropped their first game, 4-0 on the road, to Virginia Wesleyan College.

Salisbury (0-1) only managed six hits and left nine runners on base against the Marlins (1-0). The Sea Gulls had two early opportunities to plate some runs.

In the first inning, SU had runners on second and third base with two outs but saw that threat end on a Justin Arminger groundout to the pitcher. The next inning the Sea Gulls loaded the bases on two outs but second baseman Mark Bostwick struck out swinging.

The Sea Gulls received hits from Colin Kraus, Andrew Jensen; doubles from Alex Vitale, Arminger, Pete Callahan; and a triple off the bat of Mike Celenza.

Virginia Wesleyan scored two runs in the first inning, one in the fifth and tacked on an insurance run in the eighth.

The Marlins starting lineup all had one hit in the game, nine for the game, as Ozz Dhramapitaks, Matt Hudgins, Ricky Allred and C.J. Rhodes recorded a RBI each.

VWC senior Chris Rivera (1-0) recorded the win as he hurled four innings of shutout ball where he allowed three hits and struck out four. The Marlins bullpen took over in the fifth and the combination of Dave Whigham, Jason Freeman and Erik Nguyen preserved the shutout. VWC struck out 12 Sea Gulls in the game.

Salisbury senior pitcher Bryan Brainer (0-1) suffered the loss as he faced 10 Marlin batters in only two innings of work where he surrendered two runs on two hits and struck out one.

The Sea Gulls are slated to host Rowan University in the 2007 home opener at 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 13, at Sea Gull Field.