Box Score SALISBURY, Md. – The No. 13 Salisbury University baseball team took the first game of a two-game set, 12-5, over No. 10 State University of New York at Cortland, Saturday afternoon at the SU Baseball Field.
After getting off to a slow start, starter Dan Fein would register a quality start to pick up his second win of the young season. The left hander from Southbury, Conn., gave up three runs, all earned, on seven hits. Fein struck out six while walking two batters.
The Red Dragons started the contest with a leadoff double by Adam Smith, who came around to score on a RBI groundout by Max Rosing for a 1-0 Cortland lead.
Salisbury (3-0) answered in the bottom half of the first to take the lead. Junior Kyle Hayman started the inning with a bunt single down the first base line. Freshman Pete Grasso moved him up with a line drive to left field, with senior Quinn Griffith putting two runners in scoring position after a sacrifice bunt. Junior Jordan Gowe was up next and capitalized on the opportunity, with a check-swing line drive that went down the first base line for a two-run single and a 2-1 SU lead.
Fein settled down in the second inning before working out of a bases-loaded jam in the third, inducing an inning-ending double play from the Cortland (2-1) cleanup hitter, Rosing, to keep the Sea Gulls ahead 2-1.
Salisbury increased its lead in the third, when Grasso doubled, was advanced by Griffith and then scored on a passed ball as Gowe struck out but reached first for a 3-1 Sea Gull lead.
The Sea Gulls forced the Red Dragons to go their bullpen early in the contest. Cortland starter Brandon Serio went only 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs, only two earned, on five hits. Tyler Brien came in and did not record out, facing two batters, allowing a hit and giving up a walk. Jake Shelly came in to record the last out of the fourth. In all, Cortland would use seven pitchers on the afternoon.
Cortland was able to cut the Salisbury lead to 4-2 when Mark DeMilio connected for his first home run of the season, an opposite-field shot over the right field fence. Fein would recover to get the next two batters and get out of the fifth without any further damage.
The Red Dragons would utilize the long ball again in the sixth inning to cut the Salisbury lead to 4-3 with a solo shot by Conrad Ziemendorf to right center.
Salisbury would respond in its half of the sixth, aided by good baserunning and a Red Dragon mistake. Senior Johnny Schiotis started the inning with a single and then was moved up 90 feet on a single by junior Bobby Sanzone. With junior Austin Barefoot at the plate, Cortland tried picking off Schiotis at second, who took off for third and was safe. He would score later in the at-bat after a wild pitch, making the score 5-3. Barefoot would pad the lead with a liner to center for a 6-3 SU advantage. From that point forward, the Sea Gulls controlled the contest.
Fein would work through the seventh, well over 100 pitches, but finished strong, recording his sixth strikeout for the final out of his afternoon.
Sophomore Jon Schmedel worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning and junior Kyle Hamby came in to finish the contest.
Sanzone led the Sea Gulls with three hits, while Barefoot, Griffith, Grasso and Hayman each had a pair of hits. Gowe and O'Neill each had a pair of RBIs to lead Salisbury.
These two teams will meet again tomorrow at the SU Baseball Field, with the first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.
