SALISBURY, Md. - Salisbury University first
baseman Mike Celenza hit a two-run walk-off home
run in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the No. 3 Sea Gulls a
7-5 win over visiting Montclair State University on Wednesday at
Sea Gull Field. The junior hit his team leading 12th home run of
the season as the Sea Gulls (37-6) won seven of the last eight
heading into next week's NCAA tournament.
The Red Hawks (25-16) scored their fifth and final run in the
top of ninth inning to force extra innings. SU pitcher Chad
Wolfe (6-1) walked Zack Brown to start things off, and
then Brown moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt. MSU's Jay Bionde
hit the ball through the infield as it bounced off SU shortstop
Will Evans' glove and trickled away from him as
Brown ran from second base to home plate. Evans threw the ball to
the plate in an attempt to get Brown out but he was able to knock
the ball out of Andrew Miller's catcher glove to
tie the score at 5-5.
In the bottom of the 10th inning, Miller started things off with
a bunt down the third base line that he was able to beat out.
Miller then stole second base to improve his consecutive stolen
base streak to 31 attempts, which dates back to last season. Senior
second baseman Randy Boyle moved Miller over on a
sacrifice bunt. Red Hawk pitcher Scott Shan (0-1) collected the
bunt and threw to third base and beat Miller to the bag to get the
first out of the inning. That set the stage for Celenza who stepped
to the plate with one out and Boyle on first base. The left-handed
batter drove the first pitch over the right field fence to end the
game. Celenza's shot went into the construction area behind the
right field wall. The ball ricocheted off the new parking garage
structure and back into the field of play as he was mobbed at home
plate by his Sea Gull teammates.
SU put one run across the plate in the bottom of the first
inning as Miller led off the game with a single to center field.
The sophomore moved over to third base on a pair ground outs to the
first baseman. Miller scored on an infield single by freshman
Bill Morton.
The Red Hawks would push two runs across in the top of the
second as they started off with a pair of singles to centerfield.
The two base runners would move over on a wild pitch by SU starter
Kyle Judson (five strikeouts). The next two
batters each drove in one run on a pair of infield ground outs to
give MSU the 2-1 lead. SU senior Cody Collins
responded quickly as the outfielder crushed Montclair starting
pitcher John Masklee's first pitch over the right-center field
fence to knot the score at 2-2.
The Sea Gulls scored three runs in the fourth innings to take a
5-2 lead. Wolfe (3-for-5) singled to left field to start things
off. Sophomore Brad Baylis reached base after
Masklee plunked him in back to put runners on first and second
base. Wolfe and Baylis would move up a base on a wild pitch before
Evans earned a walk to load the bases. Miller followed and lined a
ball through the infield but Red Hawk second baseman Mike Kaminski
made a great play before a throwing error allowed Miller to reach
and Wolfe to score. Celenza ripped a two-run single to the outfield
to give SU the three-run lead.
SU held Montclair State scoreless until the eighth inning when
pinch-hitter Adam Bergman started the inning off with a double to
right-center to put pressure on Judson, who walked the next hitter
to put two runners on with no outs. Sophomore left-hander
Dustin Herbert came in to relieve Judson and
walked the first batter to load the bases up. Herbert forced a
ground ball that led to a double play to give SU two outs but not
before MSU scored one. Montclair would score their second and final
run of the inning on a single up the middle to close the score to
5-4 before Wolfe came in to close out the inning.
Prior to the start of today's game, six SU seniors were honored
for their work over the last few years. Boyle, Collins,
Jordan Crystal, Lucas Hanson,
Michael Loomis and Eric Willey
were all honored. Over the last four years this group has won four
Capital Athletic Conference championships, compiled a 148-30 record
and has qualified for four straight NCAA tournaments.
The Sea Gulls will receive the official announcement this Sunday
or Monday for the upcoming NCAA tournament. SU is the South
Regional host from May 13-17 at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
