Seahawks, Bison split a CCC pair

NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University senior Vincent Roth (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) pitched a complete-game shutout, 4-0, in the opener of a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) twinbill with Nichols College. The Bison won 5-4 in extra innings in Game Two to salvage a split.

Roth raised his record to 4-1 while the split left the Seahawks at 13-7 overall and 4-3 in the CCC. Freshman closer Adam Rigney (Niantic, Conn.), who blew a save giving up three runs in the bottom of the seventh, vultured the victory when he stranded the tying run at third in the bottom of the eighth of Game Two; Rigney's record is now 1-1 and the Bison are 3-13 overall and 2-2 in conference games.

The first two Nichols batters in Game One grounded out to shortstop Daniel Donohue (Westbury, N.Y.) before catcher Benjamin Harrow (No. Reading, Mass.) and third baseman Shayne McNally (Auburn, Mass.) had back-to-back singles against Roth. The senior lefty then got the first of six strikeouts with Joseph Nicolace (Cranston, R.I.) swinging.

Roth had 1-2-3 innings in the second, third, fifth, and seventh innings. Salve Regina scored three times in the bottom of the third. Designated hitter Ryan Sweenor (So. Kingstown, R.I.) doubled with one out and moved to third on Donohue's single through the right side. Centerfielder Ryan Kelly (Waldwick, N.J.) doubled to left center to plate Sweenor with the first run.

Dominic Di Sano (Central Falls, R.I.) singled home Donohue and Kelly before a double-play grounder ended the frame.

Nichols had three hits in the top of the fourth but did not get a baserunner to third as McNally was caught stealing by Di Sano throwing to Joe Haley (No. Kingstown, R.I.) at the bag.

Tyler Colby (Easton, Conn.) led off the Seahawk sixth inning with a double to center and, after moving to third on a grounder to the right side, scored on an RBI single from pinch hitter Tim Harris (Southbury, Conn.). Harris also had a pinch hit single in Game Two.

Roth faced 26 Bison and allowed just five hits while getting seven fly ball outs and seven ground ball outs.

Nichols scored three runs right off the bat in Game Two, although all three were unearned. Matt Hardy (No. Attleboro, Mass.) led off the game with an infield single. Harrow followed with a single through the left side. McNally sacrificed and reached on a Seahawk throwing error which allowed Hardy to score.

Starting pitcher Cory Poplawski (Syracuse, N.Y.) struck out the next two Bison, both swinging, before Greg Poll (East Granby, Conn.) delivered a two-run single to left center. Salve Regina got one run back in the bottom of the first of Game Two. Donohue had a one-out single to left field and came home on Kelly's RBI double to deep left field which glanced off the outfielder's glove and hit the fence before landing on grass.

The teams remained scoreless for the next five frames, although the Seahawks left three runners on base in the bottom of the fifth.

The Bison pushed across a would-be insurance run in the top of the seventh, an unearned run charged to Poplawski. Evan Thompson (Longmeadow, Mass.) led off the inning with a single before reliever Kevin Lambert (Fairfield, Conn.) entered the game. The senior righty got Hardy to bunt foul for strike three and Harrow to strike out looking. After Thompson had advanced to third on two wild pitches, Lambert induced a ground ball to the right side. Salve Regina's second baseman got in front to field the ball but his throw to first went wide allowing Thompson to score the fourth Bison run.

Rigney came in to pitch the seventh with a 4-1 lead. First batter he faced grounded back to the mound for out number one. Harris' pinch hit started the rally. Sweenor walked and Donohue loaded the bases with a single. Kelly was hit by a pitch for his second RBI of the game.

Di Sano singled through the left side to drive in Sweenor and Donohue and tie the game at 4-4. Rigney sent the game to extra innings when he stranded Kelly at third on two infield pop outs.

In the Bison eighth, a walk and hit batsman each preceded a strike out leaving runners at first and second with two down. On a 1-2 pitch, Thompson singled up the middle and Kelly's throw from center arrived at the dish a tad too late as pinch runner Brett Jackson (Larchmont, N.Y.) scored the go-ahead run.

Alek Kucich (Old Brookville, N.Y.) led off the Seahawk eighth with a hit by pitch. Pinch runner Salvatore Cumella (Ridgefield, N.J.) was sacrificed to second by Anthony Conte (Georgetown, Mass.). Cumella got to third on a grounder to the right side before Rigney retired the final batter on a grounder to second.

Salve Regina will be the away team when it hosts Wentworth at Reynolds Field on Sunday. Nichols is scheduled to be at Gordon College for two games on Monday.