Late rally falls short; Lancers def. #17/21 Seahawks, 7-6

SEAHAWK BASEBALL RESULTS
Worcester State 7, Salve Regina 6
Reynolds Field - Newport, R.I.
Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Summary
NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University baseball trailed by four runs on two occasions (4-0 and 7-3), but rallied back to within one and batted in the bottom of the ninth with bases loaded and two outs. Senior Tyler Barrie (Oxford, Mass.) made his first relief appearance of the season and got the final out on a grounder to second base as Worcester State University defeated the host Seahawks, 7-6, in non-league action at Brother Reynolds Field.

Salve Regina (22-5), ranked #17 in American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) poll and #21 in D3Baseball.com poll, had its win streak ended at nine games. Worcester State (12-13) wins for the third straight game.

Lancer starting pitcher Matt Irzyk (Westfield, Mass.) had his longest outing of the season (6.2 innings) and allowed just six hits and three runs (two earned) to pick up his second victory in 2017 (2-2). Seahawk starter Will Crowther (East Sandwich, Mass.) worked into the sixth inning and was charged with his first loss (1-1).

Series and Streaks
The teams played twice last season with each winning on its home turf. Worcester State's victory today ties the all-time series at 8-8; the Lancers and Seahawks will meet in Worcester next week.

Three Stars of the Day

1. Worcester State junior Matt Irzyk (Westfield, Mass.) pitched 6.2 innings and allowed just two earned runs on six hits. He hit one batter and issued one base on balls to the last batter he faced.
2. Salve Regina sophomore Colton Eremian (Boca Raton, Fla.) slugged his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left field in the third inning for the first Seahawk run. He added an RBI single in the seventh.
3. Salve Regina senior Hunter Sleeper (Arlington, Mass.) delivered a two-run single in the eighth inning and finished two-for-three at the plate. In the field, he helped erase two Lancers off the bases to end the top of the fourth, running down one on a pickoff throw to first and then throwing home to get the runner from third.

Quick Hits

• Designated hitter Kevin Larkin (Bristol, Conn.) put the first run on the board with his second home run of the season, a solo blast to left field in the second inning. The Lancers added three more runs in the frame for a 4-0 lead.
• Salve Regina added single runs in the third and fifth innings. Junior Sam Brito (Lincoln, R.I.) opened the fifth with his second hit, a single up the middle, and later scored on a sac fly from junior John Militano (Miller Place, N.Y.).
• Freshman Colin Medeiros (Fall River, Mass.) had three singles and was hit by a pitch.
• Barrie, the team leader in innings pitched, entered the game with two on and two out in the ninth, and a two-run lead (7-5). He walked the first batter he faced on four pitches, got ahead 1-2 on Brito before walking in a run, and the induced a groundout on a 2-2 pitch to Santilli.
• Irzyk issued only one base on balls (the last batter he faced in the seventh inning), but his successors gave five free passes to the Seahawks.

Next Up
Salve Regina (22-5) plays at Salem State on Thu., April 20 (3:30 p.m.)
Worcester State (12-13) hosts Fisher tomorrow (3:30 p.m.)