Perry's three run homer helps lift Seahawks over Wildcats

NEWPORT, R.I. – The Salve Regina University baseball team defeated Johnson & Wales University 4-3 Wednesday afternoon in comeback fashion.

The Seahawks trailed most of the game before Alex Perry (North Attleboro, Mass.) hit a towering homerun with two outs to drive in three runs and give the Seahawks a 4-3 lead that they would not relinquish.

The game began as a duel between two lefty pitchers, Salve Regina's Cole Tretter (East Lyme, Conn.) and Johnson & Wales' James Harlow (Bristol, Conn.).

The game was scoreless through two innings as both pitchers kept the opposition off balance with a mix of sinking fastballs and breaking balls. Both sides had opportunities with runners in scoring position but either hit into double plays, or had consecutive batters strike out looking.

Things seemed to be going smoothly in the third inning for Tretter as he struck out the leadoff man and got Kory Ferullo (Rochester, N.H.) to fly out, but then Tretter left a cutter over the plate and Andrew Hunton (Monroe, N.Y.) crushed it deep to centerfield for a solo homerun and the lead.

The Seahawks went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the third; quickly brining the Wildcats back to bat.

Jordan Pilarski (Garnet Valley, Pa.) singled to start things off then stole second and advanced to third on a balk call. Tom Elkow (Morganville, N.J.) grounded out to short but scored Pilarski for a 2-0 lead.

Tretter then gave up a single, hit a batter, and walked a man to load the bases with just one out. Rob Bocchetti (East Meadow, N.Y.) hit a sac-fly to deep right field for the second out, scoring Ryan Cabral (Hope, R.I.). Tretter finished the inning strong, getting the next batter to strike out looking to retire the side; however the Wildcats now led 3-0.

The Seahawks were turned away in the fourth by relief pitcher Richard Marshall (Pawtucket, R.I.). Marshall got Joe Haley (North Kingstown, R.I.) to ground out, then after an error by the third baseman allowed David Neil (Randolph, Mass.) to reach first, picked Neil off after checking on him four times. Marshall struck out the next batter to end the inning.

Tretter would return for the top of the fifth and make it quick inning, striking out one, while the Wildcats stranded a man at second.

The Seahawks got one run back in the bottom of the fifth but left a lot more on the table.

Marshall loaded the bases with two outs for Alex Perry who hit a single into shallow right field brining Christian Vargas (Melbourne, Fla.) home for the Seahawks first run of the afternoon.

Cory Blankmeyer (Centerport, N.Y.) stepped to the plate with bases still loaded but Marshall picked off John Militano (Miller Place, N.Y.) at third to end the inning.

Matt Wood (Walpole, N.H.) replaced Tretter for the top of the sixth and went 1-2-3, getting the first two batters to fly out before striking out Joe Walsh (Sayville, N.Y.) looking.

After the Seahawks went scoreless in the bottom of the sixth Wood returned to the mound for the top of the seventh.  Wood gave up a leadoff single but made up for it, picking off Brandon Rainville (Cumberland, R.I.) at first before his next pitch.

Wood would give up another hit, but the Wildcats grounded out to end the inning.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh Militano drew a walk then advanced to third on a single by Alek Kucich (Old Brookville, N.Y.) setting up Alex Perry.

Perry took the first pitch from Taylor Pacific (Cranston, R.I.) and sent it soaring over the fence in left centerfield to give the Seahawks a 4-3 lead.

Matt Wood struck out two more in the top of the eighth, and the Seahawks went down in order in the bottom of the frame giving way to Alex Croce (Rumford, R.I.) for the top of the ninth.

The junior right hander blew away the final three batters with a high fastball, earning a save, and handing the Seahawks a comeback victory.

Alex Perry drove in every run for the Seahawks, who improve to 17-14 overall on the season. Matt Wood also earned his first career victory for his efforts in relief of Tretter.

Pacific took the loss for the Wildcats who fall to 17-12 overall on the season.

The Seahawks are back in action on Friday when they travel to Brandeis ahead of a big Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) showdown with Nichols on Saturday April 25.