Seahawks sweep Anna Maria in TCCC action
PAXTON, Mass. - The Salve Regina University baseball team scored a total of six seventh-inning runs to help secure a pair a victories over Anna Maria College during a The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader at Gaskill Field on Sunday afternoon. The AMCATS have now completed conference play and move to 20-14 (13-9 TCCC) on the year, while the Seahawks improve their season mark to 15-5 (11-5 TCCC).
The Salve Regina offense was paced by sophomore Devin Flynn (Auburn, Maine) and senior Alexander Melcher (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) who each contributed three RBI's and two runs scored on the day. With the Seahawks leading 4-2 in the top of the seventh of game one, Flynn delivered a pinch-hit bases-clearing double to break the game open, while Melcher went 3-for-4 in the night cap, hitting a game-tying triple in the top of the seventh before eventually coming home with the go-ahead run. Senior Matt Capone (East Providence, R.I.) also had a fine day at the dish, finishing 3-for-6 with a double and a run scored. On the mound, senior Brandon Bursie (Smithfield, R.I.) improved to 3-3 with a complete-game victory in game one, allowing just one earned run while striking out five. Charles Matarazzo (Montville, N.J.) improved to a perfect 5-0 on the year with a win in game two, while sophomore Daniel Kehew (Portsmouth, R.I.) stranded the tying run on third to earn his second save of the season.
Junior Jeff Scafidi (Worcester, Mass.) had a team-high three hits on the day for the AMCATS, while fellow senior Jeff Kodys (Holden, Mass.) went 2-for-6 with two doubles, two runs scored, and one run batted in. Senior Andy Fallon (Worcester, Mass.) and sophomores Mike Guarnieri (Wallingford, Conn.), and Justin Hyland (Spencer, Mass.) also played well, each contributing two hits during the twin-bill.
AMC's Justin Hyland and SRU's Brandon Bursie matched each other pitch-for-pitch over the first four innings of game one, taking a scoreless tie into the fifth.
The Seahawks finally got to Hyland for four runs on three hits in the top of the fifth, as Matarazzo, Melcher, and freshman Anthony Conte (Georgetown, Mass.) each drove in runs.
The AMCATS battled back to score two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Scafidi and Guarnieri got things started with back-to-back singles to open the inning. After Scafidi scored on an errant throw, Hyland helped his own cause with a run-scoring single to bring home senior Jim McNamara (Worcester, Mass.) and cut the SRU lead to 4-2.
However, the Seahawks sealed the win with a four-run seventh-inning rally. After two walks and a hit batsman loaded the bases, Flynn came up as a pinch hitter and cleared the bases with a deep double off the right field fence. Flynn then came around to score the final run of the game on an RBI-single by senior Patrick Quinn (Middletown, N.J.) to compete the 8-2 game one victory.
After the Seahawks started the night cap with an unearned run in the top of the first, the AMCATS answered back to tie the score in the bottom half of the frame when Fallon doubled and came around to score on an RBI-single by Scafidi.
The AMCATS captured their first lead of the day with a run in the second. After a leadoff triple by Hyland, senior Mike Galvin (Rutland, Mass.) drove him in with an infield single.
The lead was short-lived, as the Seahawks responded with three runs in the top of the third, including an RBI-single by Melcher and a sacrifice fly by Tom Glynn (Woodbridge, Conn.) to build a 4-2 advantage.
After scoring a run in the fourth, the AMCATS rallied to reclaim the lead with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. After McNamara led things off with a single to right center, Kodys drove him in with a double, before eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Carlos Ortiz (Worcester, Mass.), giving AMC a 6-5 advantage.
Once again, the Seahawks put together a seventh-inning rally with two runs in the top of the frame. Junior Nicholas Politelli (Warwick, R.I.) hit a one-out double to left before Melcher completed a great game at the plate with a game-tying triple to deep right. Glynn then drove home Melcher with the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly to center.
The Seahawks brought in Kehew to finish things off, as the big right-hander stranded the tying run at third to nail down his second save of the season and preserve the 6-5 come-from-behind victory.
Both teams will return to action on Tuesday, with the Seahawks facing Gordon at 2 p.m., and the AMCATS traveling to face Becker at 3:30 p.m.
Courtesy of Anna Maria sports information