Baseball sweeps twinbill with Gordon

NEWPORT, R.I. – Freshman Joe Haley (North Kingstown, R.I.) went 4-for-7 with two triples, a double, and seven runs batted, while senior Nicholas Politelli (Warwick, R.I.) enjoyed a five-hit day in addition to earning the game one win on the mound, as the Salve Regina University baseball team swept Gordon College during a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) doubleheader at Brother Reynolds Field on Monday evening. The pair of victories lift the Seahawks to 14-22 on the season and 6-8 in the conference, while the Scots fall to 14-20 overall, evening their CCC mark to 7-7.

Haley led all players with his seven runs batted in on the day, adding two runs scored and a stolen base. Senior Matt Capone (East Providence, R.I.) finished 4-for-7 with four runs scored, while sophomore Dominic Di Sano (Central Falls, R.I.) went 4-for-8 with a home run, four runs scored, and two driven in. On the mound, both Politelli and freshman Matthew Croteau (Cheshire, Conn.) earned victories by allowing just one earned run over five innings of work, while sophomore Thomas Betros (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) nailed down his third save of the year in the nightcap.

Senior Eric Wolak (Trumbull, Conn.) collected a team-high five hits for the Scots, while junior Geoff Brown (East Moriches, NY.) was 2-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored, and two runs batted in. Senior Kris Camelio (Lexington, Mass.) scored a team-high three runs on the day, while freshman James Burrell (Decatur, Ga.) led the Scots with three RBI's on a bases clearing triple.

The Scots struck first in game one, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a solo home run by Camelio.

The Seahawks answered in the bottom of the third, rallying for four runs on five hits. Haley tied the game with an RBI single to drive home Capone, while sophomore Nicholas Dell' Anno (Reading, Mass.) gave Salve Regina the lead with a sacrifice fly to plate Politelli. Sophomore Tyler Colby (Easton, Conn.) then drove home two more with a double, putting the Seahawks on top, 4-1.

The Scots countered with five runs on just two hits in the top of the fourth. Burrell delivered the big blow, lacing a bases clearing triple before coming around to score on an RBI double by Wolak to claim a 6-4 advantage for Gordon.

The Seahawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the nightcap, receiving a two-out, two-run homer from Di Sano.

The Scots tied the game with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Coleman got things going with a leadoff single, before stealing second, and advancing to third on an errant throw. Crawford then managed to tag up and score on a shallow fly to the shortstop, cutting the SRU lead in half. The Scots added another run later in the inning on an RBI single by Harrington.

The Seahawks reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth, rallying for three runs on three hits. Salve Regina loaded the bases on a walk by Capone, a single by Politelli, and a hit-by-pitch from Di Sano. Haley followed with a bases clearing triple, eventually getting gunned down at the plate trying to stretch it into an inside the park home run.

The Seahawks added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, including a RBI single by Capone to take a 7-2 advantage into the top of the seventh. 

Betros sealed the win for the Seahawks, throwing two scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out three to earn his third save of the season.

The Scots will return to action on Friday, facing Eastern Nazarene in a non-conference contest starting at 3:30 p.m. The Seahawks will take to the field again on  Tuesday, traveling to face Rhode Island College at 3:30 p.m.