SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury University
baseball team clinched the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Capital
Athletic Conference tournament with 19-0 victory over visiting
Stevenson University on Wednesday. As the No. 1 seed the Sea Gulls
(27-4, 13-3 CAC) will have home-field advantage throughout the CAC
tournament that runs from April 14-19. SU has won three consecutive
conference titles, eight overall.
The Sea Gull batters went right after Mustang freshman pitcher
Derrick Nason (4-4) in the bottom of the first inning. Senior
second baseman Cody Collins drove Nason's first
pitch over the left centerfield fence that ricocheted off the SU
scoreboard. Collins had a strong performance on the day as the
Millsboro, Del., native went 3-for-6 at the plate with pair of RBIs
and three runs scored. Senior Jordan Crystal (two
doubles) went 4-for-5 at the plate as he knocked in a team-high
four RBIs. Sophomore Andrew Miller reached base
safely five times, scored five runs and drove in three RBIs.
Ryan Smith (3-for-4, three runs), Brad
Baylis (2-for-5) and Bill Morton (two
sacrifice flies) each drove in two runs apiece for the maroon and
gold. Senior Randy Boyle and junior Chad
Wolfe (3-for-3, two doubles) each had one RBI.
Senior starting pitcher Eric Willey (6-2)
pitched seven complete innings as the right-hander struck out five
Mustang batters. Sophomores Mark Peterson and
Drew Baldwin (one strike out) contributed to the
win as they pitched the eighth and ninth innings, respectively.
Stevenson infielders Chris Maienshein and Max Eckert had strong
outings for the Mustangs (14-16, 10-6 CAC) at the plate as they
each recorded two hits.
Salisbury, currently ranked in No. 2 in the national media poll
and No. 6 in the coaches' poll, will close out the CAC regular
season on Saturday, April 11, on the road against Stevenson for a
doubleheader that will begin at 1 p.m.