Joe Haley went 3-for-4 in Game One with three runs batted in.
Joe Haley went 3-for-4 in Game One with three runs batted in.

Haley rocks three RBI; Seahawks come one run short

NEWPORT, R.I. - Junior infielder Joe Haley (No. Kingstown, R.I.) enjoyed a 3-for-4 day at the plate with three runs batted in for Salve Regina University baseball, but the Seahawks came up one run shy, 5-4, in a Game One loss to Western New England University during Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action at Reynolds Field.

The Golden Bears (5-7; 1-0 CCC) got a complete-game effort from pitcher Mike Lospinuso (West Islip, N.Y.) who improved to 2-1 while Seahawk starter Vincent Roth (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) suffered his first defeat of the season after winning decisions in his first three outings. Game Two was postponed leaving the Salve Regina record at 11-4 overall and 2-1 in the conference.

Western New England got a 3-0 start in its first at bat. Centerfielder Scott Hubener (Mendon, Mass.) led off the game with a single up the middle. Shortstop Kevin Marciano (Pepperell, Mass.) followed with a single to left fielder Ryan Sweenor (So, Kingstown, R.I.) who did a nice job keeping the ball in front of him.

Roth got the next two Golden Bears batter out before allowing a run-scoring single to catcher Matt Anziano (Belchertown, Mass.). Seahawks almost escaped more damage but Daniel Morin's (Salem, N.H.) fly ball fell for a two-run error.

Lospinuso retired the first six Seahawk batters he faced before Sweenor led off the bottom of the third with a walk. Second baseman Hunter Sleeper (Arlington, Mass.) reached on a fielder's choice grounder and senior Anthony Conte (Georgetown, Mass.) singled through the left side for the first Seahawk basehit. Haley had the second hit two batters later, a two-run double to left field on a 3-2 pitch with Conte and Sleeper running.

Next batter Dominic Di Sano (Central Falls, R.I.) pulled a Lospinuso pitch through the left side, but left fielder Taylor Searles (Seymour, Conn.) threw to shortstop Marciano who relayed to Anziano to catch Haley at the plate for the final out of the third inning.

Seahawks collected three hits in the fourth to produce the tying run. Tyler Colby (Easton, Conn.) led off wth a single, a slow roller along the third-base line. After one out, designated hitter Tim Harris (Southbury, Conn.) singled to left field. Colby tagged up to third after Sweenor's deep fly ball was caught by Hubener in left center.

Harris took off for second and Lospinuso spun around to throw to the bag, but a muffed catch allowed Harris to reach safely and Colby scored from third, tying the game at 3-3.

In the Golden Bear fifth, Roth loaded the bases with one out before giving way to reliever Alex Croce (Rumford, R.I.). Connor Hayes (Bristol, Conn.) hit his first extra-base hit of the season, a two-run double to left center, for a 5-3 lead. Ryan Kelly (Waldwick, N.J.) fired to Daniel Donohue (Westbury, N.Y.) who relayed to Di Sano to cut down a potential third run in the inning for the Golden Bears.

Lospinuso stranded Haley at second after the left-handed batter doubled with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. A double-play grounder ended the Seahawk sixth inning.

With two outs in the seventh, Conte worked a walk and Kelly singled to shortstop. Haley's single up the middle brought Conte home with the fourth Seahawk run (5-4), but Lospinuso got Di Sano to end the game on a fly to center.

Head coaches Eric Cirella (Salve Regina) and Dan Gomez (Western New England) conversed postgame about the increasing rain and when the umpires returned after changing outfits, the decision was made to postpone Game Two.

Salve Regina travels to defending champion Endicott College on Sunday while Western New England is in the same neighborhood on Monday at Gordon College.