FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Salisbury University baseball team bounced back from an opening loss in the NCAA Division III Baseball South Regional hosted by Methodist University with a 9-2 victory over Bridgewater (Va.) College on Thursday morning.

The Sea Gulls, the No. 2 seed in the regional, were forced to battle from behind twice on Wednesday against the Eagles, trailing 1-0 after three innings and 2-1 through four frames. Salisbury (28-12) was able to even the game at 2-2 in the top of the fifth as senior Chad Wolfe (Thurmont, Md.) brought home junior Brad Baylis (Pocomoke, Md.) with a ground out.

In the top of the sixth, Salisbury got a little breathing room with a three-run inning. Senior Tim Kellinger (Knoxville, Md.) brought home the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly before senior Mike Celenza (Gaithersburg, Md.) opened things up with a two-out, two-run double.

The Sea Gulls added another run in the seventh and three more in the eighth to blow the game open, making a winner of junior Dustin Herbert (Huntingtown, Md.). Herbert went 6 1/3 innings, allowing just two runs on eight hits while striking out four. Stellar relief pitching by junior Drew Baldwin (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and sophomore Bill Morton (Newark, Del.) finished off the victory.

“We pitched well, as we have both days, and we played good defense,” Salisbury Head Coach Doug Fleetwood said. “But today we swung the bats a little better - especially late. We got some guys moved around on some bunting and things that we didn't do well on Wednesday.”

Baylis (three runs scored) and Matt O'Keefe (Gaithersburg, Md.) each finished with three hits for Salisbury. Senior Ryan Smith (Waldorf, Md.), junior Devon Quaglietta (Monroe Township, N.J.) and Celenza each finished with two runs driven in.

With the win, Salisbury remains alive in search of the program's third World Series berth, advancing to a 2:30 p.m., game on Friday afternoon against an opponent still to be determined.