ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. - For the second consecutive game the No. 2 Salisbury University baseball team brought the winning run to the plate in the ninth inning but could not complete the comeback. The Sea Gulls dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker to St. Mary's (Md.) College in a Capital Athletic Conference contest on the road Wednesday afternoon.

Salisbury (17-4, 5-3 CAC) received a valiant pitching performance from senior All-American Eric Willey and sophomore Kyle Judson who combined to give up just four hits and one earned run. Willey (4-2) was tagged with the loss after he gave up two runs (none earned) in six innings of work. The co-captain fanned eight on the day and limited St. Mary's (11-10, 5-6 CAC) to just four hits. Judson (three strikeouts) followed up with two scoreless innings of relief.

The SU offense was guided by the efforts of senior outfielders Cody Collins (one run) and Jordan Crystal, who were both 2-for-4 on the day. The lone Sea Gull RBI was provided by freshman shortstop Trevor Cobb.

Collins opened up the ninth inning with a single and after a pitching change moved up to second on a single by Crystal. The pair would each move up again when sophomore Devon Quaglietta reached on an error by Seahawk reliever Matt Siciliano. The bases were loaded for sophomore third baseman Brian Green but Siciliano struck him out to record the first out for the Seahawks. Siciliano then plunked Cobb to force home Collins and cut the SMC lead to one, 2-1, with one out and the bases still loaded. Sophomore Andrew Miller followed and grounded into a fielder's choice. The Seahawk defense gunned down Crystal at the plate on a throw by third baseman Blake Beaudoin for the second out. The Sea Gull rally ended when senior second baseman Randy Boyle flied out to end the game.

SU had two chances early on to score runs but the Sea Gulls came away empty handed. The Sea Gulls put runners at first and second with one out in both the first and second innings but Seahawk starter John Gill (3-5) escaped the jams unscathed.

Willey threw three scoreless frames to begin the game but was tagged with a single run in the fourth. Willey gave up a leadoff single to Justin Rabon, who stole second and moved over to third on an error by Green. Rabon made the most of the mishap as he stole home on the next play to give SMC the early 1-0 lead. Willey got out of the inning as he struck out the next two Seahawk batters.

St. Mary's scored a second run the next inning to take a 2-0 lead. With runners at first and third base and two outs, SMC's Jacen Killebrew got caught in a rundown going from first to second base. While Killebrew was in the midst of his rundown Bobby Corton darted from third base to home plate to score the run before Killebrew was tagged out on the play.

St. Mary's was led on the day by Killebrew who collected two of the Seahawks four hits on the day. SMC had two players notch one hit in Rabon (one run) and Corton. Gill (3-5) was credited with the victory after he tossed eight innings of scoreless ball where he allowed six hits and struck out three Sea Gulls. Siciliano picked up his fifth save of the season.

This is the first time since the 2007 season that Salisbury has lost back-to-back games. SU drops to third place in the CAC standings. The victory snaps SMC's 12-game losing streak against the Sea Gulls. The Seahawks last defeated SU back on March 9, 2004.

Salisbury looks to get back to in the win column on Thursday, March 25, at 3:30 p.m. when the Sea Gulls welcome Virginia Wesleyan College to Sea Gull Field. SU defeated the Marlins, 16-3, on opening day this season and have won three of the past four contests between the schools.