YORK, Pa. - The No. 1 Salisbury University
baseball team dropped a 7-4 decision to York (Pa.) College in a
Capital Athletic Conference road contest on Wednesday in front of a
crowd of 175 at Jaquet Field. SU led briefly then trailed the
remainder of the game as the Sea Gulls could never rally after
giving up four runs in the first inning. The Sea Gulls didn't help
themselves as they left 13 runners on base.
Salisbury (14-2, 5-2 CAC) was led offensively by junior
designated hitter Chad Wolfe who recorded a
team-high two RBIs and a run scored. Wolfe delivered a two-run
single in the fifth inning. Junior first baseman Mike
Celenza (one double, one run) tallied his sixth multi-hit
game of the season with a 3-for-5 performance at the plate while
junior catcher Ryan Smith (one run) and sophomore
third baseman Brian Green (one double) each had
two hits apiece.
The Sea Gulls started the game on the right note as the maroon
and gold pushed across a run in the first inning. With one out,
Celenza doubled to right field and came home on an RBI-single by
senior outfielder Cody Collins (one run). SU's
lead did not last for long as the Spartans did not waste any time
jumping on Sea Gull starting pitcher Dustin
Herbert (3-1). After striking out the leadoff hitter of
the game, Herbert was touched up for four runs in the inning.
Herbert was lifted for sophomore Kyle Judson who
came on to get out of the inning.
York (11-2, 4-0 CAC) added another run in the second when Kyle
Cook doubled home Rob Klinck to make the score 5-1. The Sea Gulls
were held scoreless over the next two innings before they plated a
run in the fourth. Wolfe was hit by a pitch to open up the inning
and was moved over on a single by Green. The pair was then moved up
one base a piece on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore shortstop
Will Evans. Sophomore Andrew
Miller made the score 5-2 with an RBI groundout that
plated Wolfe.
SU closed the gap in the fifth inning as the Sea Gulls scored
two runs to chase York starting pitcher Andy Rosenzweig (3-1) from
the game. With one out, Wolfe banged a two-run single up the middle
to bring the Spartan lead to just one, 5-4. SU had runners at first
and second base with one out but could not tie the game as York
reliever Jeff Benchich got out of the jam.
The Spartans used consecutive doubles by Matt Austin and CT
Stanley to open up the bottom half of the fifth. The York rally was
stalled when Sea Gulls reliever Bill Morton came
on replace Judson and got three consecutive outs.
Herbert was credited with the loss after giving up four earned
runs in just one-third of an inning. The Sea Gull bullpen of
Judson, Morton, and junior southpaw Kyle Starr
combined to give up three runs the rest of the way but it was not
enough. Starr (one strikeout) was outstanding in his Sea Gull debut
as he threw an inning and a third and gave up just one hit.
The Spartans remained perfect in the CAC as they
collected 12 hits on the afternoon. York was led by the
three-hit performances of Cook (one run, one RBI) and Stanley (two
RBI). Ryan Poff (one double, two runs) and Matt Monti each
collected two RBIs apiece while Austin (one double) scored two
runs. Rosenzweig picks up the victory after giving up three earned
runs in four innings. The Spartan bullpen combined to limit
Salisbury to just four hits and no runs in the final five innings.
Salisbury and York will meet again on Saturday, March 14, at Sea
Gull Field for a doubleheader that will begin at 1 p.m.
