Seahawks peak in middle frames over Mountaineers

NEWPORT, R.I. - A five-run third inning provided the initial offense for Salve Regina University in its 17-1 victory over visiting Southern Vermont College in non-league baseball action at Reynolds Field.

Both teams stranded runners at the corners in the first inning. Sophomore first baseman Cody LaBadia (Howes Caves, N.Y.) gave the Mountaineers a 1-0 lead in the second inning when he clouted his first home run of the season on a 2-2 count with two out in the frame.

Junior infielder Anthony Conte (Georgetown, Mass.) led off the Seahawk third with a four-pitch walk and promptly stole second base. After freshman Ryan Kelly (Waldwick, N.J.) earned his second base on balls, sophomore Sean Becker (Richmond, Va.) bunted for the first of his four hits to load the bases.

Junior outfielder Tyler Colby (Easton, Conn.) laced a single to right field to put the Seahawks on top, 2-1. Junior catcher Dominic Di Sano (Central Falls, R.I.) followed with a single to re-load the bases for freshman Ryan Sweenor (South Kingstown, R.I.) who battled out of an 0-2 hole to a full-count before delivering an RBI single to centerfield.

Colby scored on sophomore Joe Haley's (North Kingstown, R.I.) sacrifice fly, which also advanced Di Sano to third. When Sweenor got nabbed in his attempted steal of second, Di Sano scampered home the fifth run of the inning.

Conte opened the fourth with a bunt single. Kelly tripled him home. Colby plated Kelly with a sacrifice bunt for a 7-1 lead.

Meanwhile, freshman pitcher Branden Hoxsie (Warwick, R.I.) settled into his second start of the season, facing just 19 batters in his first five innings. He and Di Sano executed a strike-'em-out, throw-'em-out double-play to escape the first inning.

Kelly had a two-run double in the fifth that scored Haley (two stolen bases in the inning) and designated hitter Tim Harris (Southbury, Conn.). Becker and Di Sano later added run-scoring singles in the frame for an 11-1 Seahawk lead.

In the Seahawk eighth inning, the lead grew to 15-1 with RBI basehits from Mike Johnston (Bedford Hills, N.Y.), Emmett Ravis (South Glastonbury, Conn.), Matt Conroy (Philadelphia, Pa.), and Shawn Clayton (Warwick, R.I.). Haley tacked on two more with his single to centerfield.

Salve Regina (12-5) plays at perennial power Eastern Connecticut State University on Thursday. Southern Vermont (7-10) returns home to Bennington to host Bard on Thursday.