Salve Regina seniors contribute to another Seahawk sweep

SEAHAWK BASEBALL RESULTS
[1] Salve Regina 7, Eastern Nazarene 1
[2] Salve Regina 5, Eastern Nazarene 4
Reynolds Field - Newport, R.I.
Saturday, April 22, 2017

Summary
NEWPORT, R.I. - Junior catcher Christian Vargas (Melbourne, Fla.) bounced a single to the left side that scored sophomore Zack Smith (New Canaan, Conn.) from second base for the game-winning run in a 5-4 walk-off victory for Salve Regina University baseball against Eastern Nazarene College. The Seahawks swept the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) doubleheader with the Lions, 7-1 and 5-4.

Game One starter Patrick Maybach (North Kingstown, R.I.) pitched six shutout innings to record his fifth victory (5-0) and struck out seven while lowering his earned run average (0.55).

Vargas' basehit made a winner out of senior righty Cory Poplawski (Syracuse, N.Y.) who pitched a complete game to raise his record to 4-2.

The Seahawks, ranked #17 in the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) poll and #21 in the D3Baseball.com poll, improve to 25-5 overall and 10-0 in league play. The Lions fell to 10-16-2 overall and 1-9 in the CCC.

Series and Streaks
The teams have met 50 times in baseball and Salve Regina owns a 39-11 mark in the all-time series. One memorable win came in the 2005 CCC Championship at Cardines Field when current head coach, Eric Cirella, played for his dad, Steve Cirella, and the Seahawks advanced to the NCAA Championships for the second time.

Three Stars of the Day

1. Salve Regina freshman Patrick Maybach (No. Kingstown, R.I.) struck out seven and hurled six shutout frames to improve to 5-0 on the season.
2. Salve Regina junior John Militano (Miller Place, N.Y.) had five hits (three doubles) in the leadoff spot of the Seahawk order.
3. Salve Regina sophomore Brody Santilli (Lincoln, R.I.) had a suicide squeeze bunt for an RBI in the opener, and then plated three runs with a bases-loaded triple in second game. He also stole two bases.

Key Stats of the Day
Salve Regina stole seven bases in the opener and none in the second. The Seahawks ended perhaps the rarest of streaks (albeit shortlived) in baseball - the Lions had finished their previous two games in ties.

Quick Hits

• Eastern Nazarene scored its lone run in the opener in its last at bat when sophomore Zachary Carmody (Babylon, N.Y.) led off with a double before freshman Devin Haberstumpf (Forest Hills, N.Y.) followed with an RBI single.
• The Lions starter in Game One, Xavier Faria (Assonet, Mass.), did not give up a hit until a four-run fourth inning for the Seahawks. He did hit three batters, including two in the first inning.
• Salve Regina junior Alex Perry (North Attleboro, Mass.) was a hit batsman victim in both games, and he drove in a run in each victory. His seventh-inning sac fly tied the score at 4-4 after Colton Eremian (Boca Raton, Fla.) led off the frame with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch.
• Seven different Seahawks had basehits in the opener while six different players had hits in the nightcap including multi-hit games for Eremian, Militano, Santilli, Smith, and Vargas.

Next Up
Salve Regina (25-5, 10-0 CCC) hosts Wentworth Institute of Technology [DH], 12 p.m.
Eastern Nazarene (10-16-2, 1-9 CCC) will host the Leopards on Monday. Both matchups are re-scheduled from earlier postponements.