Melcher, O'Neill homer; Seahawks split with Golden Bears in TCCC doubleheader

NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University baseball had back-to-back four-run innings to take Game 1 from Western New England College, 8-5, in The Commonwealth Coast Conference opener for both teams. The Golden Bears earned a split with a 6-4 decision in Game 2 against the Seahawks.

Seahawk junior shortstop Alex Melcher [Poughkeepsie, N.Y.] belted his first homerun of the season, a two-run blast in the bottom of the 4th, to cut the Golden Bear lead to 3-2. Salve Regina (7-5; 1-1 TCCC) later took the lead on a bases-loaded walk and a passed ball.

Golden Bear junior catcher Justin LeClerc [Chicopee, Mass.] tied the game at 4-4 with an RBI single in the 5th.

Melcher started a four-run rally in the Seahawk 5th inning with a one-out single. Senior catcher Dave Miller [Shelton, Conn.] singled in the go-ahead run before sophomore first-baseman Michael O'Neill [Pawtucket, R.I.] slugged his team-leading fourth homerun of the season, a three-run shot over parked cars in left field.

Junior Craig Silva [Marlborough, Mass.] relieved starter Nicholas Politelli [Warwick, R.I.] in the 5th and hurled 2.1 innings for the victory.

Western New England (8-3; 1-1 TCCC) jumped to an early lead again in Game 2 as OF Steve Kearney [Glastonbury, Conn.] and INF Joe Griglun [Southington, Conn.] scored on INF Tony Trubia's [Tolland, Conn.] 1st inning triple. Politelli led off the Seahawk 1st with a double and later scored on a Melcher single. Miller's sacrifice fly brought home the tying run in Byron Reding [Darien, Conn.].

A bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly plated two more runs for Western New England in its 2nd inning. LeClerc opened the 3rd with a triple to right field and came in on a sac fly by junior OF Ryan Dudzinski [Bristol, Conn.]. Griglun scored the sixth Golden Bear run in the 4th when he hustled home from second base after an error with two outs by the Seahawk outfield.

Miller beat out an infield hit with two outs in the 5th to score Reding. Salve Regina added another run in the 6th on a double-play groundout. Senior OF Riley Diaz [Miami, Fla.] led off the home 7th with a single to center, but sophomore reliever Mike Lawlor [Windsor, Conn.] struck out the next three batters to earn his first save and a victory for starter Mark DiTommaso [Hebron, Conn.].

Sophomore Charles Kwolek [Greenville, R.I.] pitched three innings of scoreless relief for Salve Regina.

Western New England heads north for a doubleheader with New England College tomorrow while Salve Regina hosts Brandeis in a single game on Thursday (3:30 p.m.) on Reynolds Field.