CHESTERTOWN, Md. – The No. 9 Salisbury University baseball team traveled up Route 50 to square off against Eastern Shore rival Washington College on Wednesday afternoon and came away with the victory, 7-6.

THE RUNDOWN

Final Score: Salisbury 7, Washington 6

Records: Salisbury (6-2) | Washington (3-3)

Location: Athey Park – Chestertown, Md.

BOX SCORE

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Washington starting pitcher Ethan Osgood walked the first three batters he faced in the top of the first inning to load the bases with no outs, but managed to work his way out of the Salisbury scoring threat by forcing a double-play ball and a ground out to end the inning.
• Salisbury took the early lead in the top of the third inning. After Justin Meekins and Stephen Rice pulled off a double steal to put both runners in scoring position with one out, Jimmy Monaghan sent a line drive to center field that was deep enough to allow Meekins to tag up and advance home on the sacrifice fly for the 1-0 lead.
• Washington got a run back in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie up the game, but it didn't hold for very long. Brandon Bonesteel stayed hot at the plate, notching his third home run of the season over the right field fence with two outs and a runner on in the top of the fifth inning, putting the Sea Gulls back on top 3-1.
• A two-run home run by Ryan Zwier in the bottom half of the inning tied the game once again, this time at 3-3. The Shoremen continued their threat, loading the bases following the home run, but Salisbury starting pitcher Jackson Balzan managed to pitch himself out of trouble by forcing a routine fielder's choice for the final out.
• Salisbury pulled ahead once again in the top of the sixth inning. With Brad Haas stationed on second base, Cameron Hyder smacked a hard-hit ground ball double just past the reach of the Washington third baseman and down the left field line to drive Haas home. After advancing to third on the second out of the inning, Hyder finished his trip around the diamond on a passed ball by the Washington catcher for the 5-3 lead.
• Haas added another run to the Salisbury lead in the seventh inning with a two-out infield single that allowed Trent Saunders to advance home from third base, making it 6-3.
• Nate Yoder made it 7-3 in the eighth inning with a sacrifice fly into right field to bring home Meekins from third base.
• The Shoremen rallied back in the bottom of the eighth on a three-run home run by Max Ruvo to trim the lead to 7-6. However, with the tying run posted on third base and only one away, Corey Burton took the mound for the Sea Gulls and struck out each of the batters he faced to finish the inning and end the Washington threat.
• Burton finished off the ninth inning with three more big strikeouts to seal the 7-6 win for the Sea Gulls, who now climb to 6-2 on the season.

GAME NOTES

• The pitching tandem of Jackson Balzan, Clayton Dwyer (2-1), and Corey Burton combined to strike out 20 Washington batters on Wednesday afternoon. Balzan (8) pitched the first five innings, Dywer (7) tossed the next 2 1/3, and Burton (5) struck out all five batters he faced to close the game and pick up his first save of the season.
• Brad Haas had a great day at the plate, going 4-for-5 while scoring a run and driving home another.
• Brandon Bonesteel hit his second home run in as many games while driving in two runs, scoring another, and drawing a walk.
• Cameron Hyder went 1-for-3 including a pair of walks from the leadoff position. The right fielder drove in a run and scored another in the win.

UP NEXT

• The team returns home on Sunday for another heavyweight match when it hosts No. 22 Johns Hopkins at Sea Gull Baseball Stadium beginning at 1 p.m.
• Live video and stats will be available during the game.