Salve Regina baseball clinches No. 1 seed in CCC postseason

NEWPORT, R.I. – Trailing by six runs entering the sixth inning, the Wentworth Institute of Technology baseball team scored four runs in the sixth inning and two in the seventh to send the game into extra innings before No. 17/21 Salve Regina scored with one out in the 10th to take a 10-9 win in the nightcap of a Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader played at Brother Reynolds Field. The Seahawks had taken the first game by a 15-1 final.

The Seahawk sweep, coupled with the Colonels of Curry College losing a pair at Nichols, gave Salve Regina the CCC regular season title.

Game One: Salve Regina 15, Wentworth 1
Salve Regina scored a pair of runs in the home half of the inning as junior Christian Vargas (Melbourne, Fla.) delivered a two-run single with one out. An inning later the Seahawks broke the game open with 10 runs as sophomore Zack Smith (New Canaan, Conn.), freshman Dylan Ketch (Clinton, Conn.), and junior John Militano (Miller Place, N.Y.) each had two-run hits to help the offense.

Wentworth scored its lone run in the top of the third inning on a senior Jordan Burst (Jackson, N.J.) RBI single. Sophomore Jake Smith (Orange, Conn.) led off with a single and went to second on a single from junior Bryon Kucharski (East Haven, Conn.). With one out senior Christian Ferri (Bloomfield, N.J.) walked and Smith scored on Burst's single. However, the Leopards left the bases loaded to end the inning.

The Seahawks added a run in the third on an RBI single from Ketch and would score two more times in the fifth as junior Sam Brito (Lincoln, R.I.) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and classmate Nick Mulcahy (Wakefield, Mass.) followed with an RBI single.

Junior Jimmy Fitzgerald (Canton, Mass.) picked up the win to improve to 5-0 as he allowed one run on four hits, walked three and struck out eight in five innings. Salve Regina had 18 hits in the game and was led by Militano who had three and drove in two runs while Ketch was 2-for-3 with three RBI and Vargas and sophomore Colton Eremian (Boca Raton, Fla.) each had two hits and drove in two runs.

Junior Tyler Weninger (Chandler, Ariz.) took the loss (2-2), lasting just 1.1 innings. Sophomore Matt Rothermel (Attleboro, Mass.) pitched two innings and freshman Ryan Joyce (Avon, Mass.) pitched 2.2 and struck out three batters. Five different players recorded a hit for the Black & Gold, including Burst who also had the lone RBI.

Game Two: Salve Regina 10, Wentworth 9 (10)
Wentworth took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning after senior Jimmy Temte (Northborough, Mass.) reached on a two-out error which allowed Burst to score. Burst had singled with one out and went to second when Weninger grounded out.

Salve Regina scored seven times in innings two through four to take a 7-1 lead. In the second inning sophomore Riley Fusaro (Nantucket, Mass.) had an RBI single while a junior Alex Perry (North Attleboro, Mass.) two-run home run in the third accounted for the hosts' runs. The Seahawks scored four times in the fourth with Fusaro driving in a run on a fielder's choice, senior Hunter Sleeper (Arlington, Mass.) reaching on an error which scored a run, Militano driving in a run with a ground out, and Eremian driving in a run with a single.

The Leopards got two runs back in the top of the fifth. With one out, Burst was hit by a pitch and went to second on a Weninger ground out. Temte followed with a walk and both he and Burst moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch. Junior Tim Elrick (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) plated them both with a single through the left side. In the home half of the inning Salve Regina made it 9-3 on a two-run single from Ketch.

Wentworth's comeback began in the top of the sixth as sophomore Dan Cole (Kingston, Mass.) led off with a home run. Sophomore Anthony de la Cruz (Lynn, Mass.) was called on to pinch hit and drew a walk. Ferri followed with a walk and, with one out, Weninger drove a single to right which scored de la Cruz and Ferri scored on an error which moved Weninger to third. Weninger scored on a Temte ground out to make it 9-7.

Down to its final at bat, the Leopards tied the game with a pair of two-out runs. Freshman Own Swanson (New Milford, Conn.) led off with a double and went to third on a smith ground out. Cole grounded out for the second out, which allowed Swanson to bring the visitors within a run at 9-8. Freshman Dan Mitchell (Avon, Mass.) delivered a pinch-hit single to left and scored the tying run on a Ferri double. Salve Regina had a chance to win in the bottom of the seventh, however a one-out double and intentional walk went for naught as sophomore Mike Callagee (Emerson, N.J.) got the next two outs to end the inning.

Both teams had chances in extra innings, including when the potential winning run for the Seahawks was gunned down at the plate on a double play in the eighth. Salve Regina also left the bases loaded in the ninth as sophomore reliever Leo Coehlo (Marlborough, Mass.) got back-to-back strikeouts after walking the first batter he faced to end the inning.

In the 10th inning Eremian led off by reaching on a two-base error. Perry was intentionally walked and was erased when Smith reached on a fielder's choice which put the winning run on third. Vargas was intentionally walked to load the bases, however Ketch delivered the game-winning hit with a bunt.

Junior Tommy Seaver (Rocky Hill, Conn.) picked up the win (1-0) as he went 3.1 innings and struck out three. Vargas was 4-for-4 with three runs scored and Ketch was 3-for-5 with three RBI.

Coehlo took the loss (1-2) as he allowed an unearned run on one hit, walked three, and struck out two in an inning of work. Callagee went the first 8.1 innings. Swanson was 2-for-4 and Elrick drove in a pair of runs.