FREDERICK, Md. – Behind a season-high 11 stolen bases and five sacrifice bunts, the seventh-ranked Salisbury University baseball team kicked up dust and then some in an 11-1 eight-inning victory – its eighth straight – over the Hood Blazers on Tuesday afternoon at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium, home of the minor league Frederick Keys.
The Sea Gulls locked in early with a three-spot in each of their first two turns at bat. In the first,
Jackson Inman got things going with an RBI single that eventually led to a run-scoring error and a successful squeeze bunt by
Max Ehrhardt. In the second,
Jake Witter drove one in with a base knock and two more scored on an Ehrhardt fielder's choice and wild pitch, putting SU ahead 6-0.
TJ Morris plated another on a fielder's choice in the fourth inning. Then in the sixth the Blazers broke up the shutout on an error, groundout, and run-scoring wild pitch to make it 7-1.
Salisbury put things away for good over the seventh and eighth innings. Morris walked to lead off the seventh, stole second and third, and came in on a base hit by
Mickey Haynes. Haynes in turn scored on a squeeze play from
Trent Waire to push the margin to 9-1.
In the eighth,
Ethan Ruiz and
Charlie Hartman were each plunked with the bases loaded, making it 11-1; SU shut the Blazers down at the plate in the home eighth to secure the run-rule victory.
GAME NOTES
- TJ Morris finished 1-for-4 with a walk, run, RBI, and four of the Sea Gulls' 11 steals on the day. His four bags are the most stolen by one SU player in a game this season.
- Jackson Inman batted 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored.
- Nathan Tondreault and Mickey Haynes each stole two bases and combined to score three runs.
- Trent Waire laid down three sacrifice bunts, including one successful squeeze.
- Tyler Villa (5-4) matched a season long with seven innings on the bump, giving up one unearned run on two hits with no walks and six strikeouts on 103 pitches.
- Tyler Katz pitched a perfect eighth with two strikeouts to finish Hood off for good.
The Sea Gulls will return home for their final two games of the regular season, starting on Wednesday against Immaculata. First pitch from Donnie Williams Stadium is slated for 3:30 p.m.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with affiliate membership in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (football, men's & women's swimming), Coastal Lacrosse Conference (men's lacrosse), State University of New York Athletic Conference (field hockey), and Colonial Women's Golf Conference (women's golf). With over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the nation's most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have won a combined 23 team national championships, 24 individual national championships, and 207 conference championships, and have produced 54 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
