SALISBURY, Md. - The No. 19 Salisbury
University picked up a pair of Capital Athletic Conference
victories on a windy day at Sea Gull Field against visiting No. 12
York (Pa.) College. The Sea Gulls (21-4, 9-3 CAC), who are also
ranked No. 2 in the D3baseball.com media poll, won the first game
30-6 and won the second game 7-6 in eight innings as the maroon and
gold scored a combined 37 runs.
The wind played a huge factor in both games as they were 11 home
runs combined between the two teams that all carried over the right
field fence. The Sea Gulls totaled six home runs on the day but the
most monumental shot occurred in the second game. Sophomore right
fielder Andrew Miller (4-for-4, two runs) hit a
walk off home run with two outs in the eighth inning to propel the
Gulls to their ninth victory in the conference this season. The
two-game sweep of the Spartans (16-5, 7-3 CAC), who are also ranked
No. 21 in the media poll, completes the season series in
Salisbury's advantage. York defeated SU 7-4 on March 11.
SU headed into the bottom of the sixth with the score knotted at
2-2 as the Sea Gulls' bats came alive. Freshman Bill
Morton roped a single through the left side of the Spartan
infield. Sophomore Brian Green moved Morton over
with a sacrifice bunt before Randy Boyle drew a
walk. Junior Matt O'Keefe came in to pinch run for
Morton in an effort to add some more speed on the base paths.
Senior second baseman Cody Collins (3-for-5, three
runs) sent a drive to center field that sailed over the head of
York centerfielder Ryan Poff. O'Keefe and Boyle hustled around the
bases and scored as a joyous Collins stopped at second base with SU
now up 4-2. Miller singled up the middle to drive in Collins before
later scoring on a double by Ryan
Smith.
The Sea Gull 6-2 lead vanished in the top of the seventh inning
as the Spartans scored four to tie the game. Three runs came off of
the bat of CT Stanley who hit a home run to right center. That
would set the stage for Miller's extra-inning heroics in the eighth
as the sophomore hit his third home run of the season.
Sophomore pitcher Dustin Herbert (4-1) got the
win as he pitched two innings in relief where he struck out three
Spartans. Sophomore Kyle Judson started the game
and pitched six innings where he allowed five runs on nine hits,
walked three and struck out five. Kyle Cook (2-3), who started at
second base in the game, took the loss for the Spartans as he
surrendered the Miller home run in the eighth.
Game one was a much different story for the Sea Gulls as SU tied
the highest run total in the Coach Doug Fleetwood
era with 30 runs scored. The last time SU scored this many runs
under Fleetwood was March 2, 2002 against Gallaudet University
where the Sea Gulls won 30-1. Collins (two home runs, five RBIs,
four runs), Smith (two home runs, nine RBIs, four hits) and first
baseman Mike Celenza (one home run, two hits,
three RBIs) combined for a total of five home runs for the Sea
Gulls. Boyle (five runs, three RBIs) and freshman Brad
Baylis (three runs, one RBI) each reached base safely four
times with base hits and one walk. Morton had a stand out game as
he racked up three hits and four RBIs which are new career-highs.
Miller scored three runs, had two hits, and drove in one RBI.
Salisbury scored 11 runs in the first three innings and exploded
for 11 runs in the fourth inning alone.
Senior starting pitcher Eric Willey (5-2)
hurled four innings in the win as he allowed six runs (four earned)
on six hits, walked four and struck out eight. Mark
Peterson pitched two innings of relief and Pat
O'Keefe pitched the final inning for SU. Jeff Benchich
(0-1) received the loss in his first start of the season. The
junior gave up six runs, on seven hits, walked three in two innings
of work.
Salisbury returns to action Wednesday, April 1, against
Gallaudet University at 3:30 p.m. in a CAC contest at Sea Gull
Field. The Gulls will then play host to Virginia Wesleyan College
on Tuesday, April 2, at 3:30 p.m. in a make-up game from March 26.
