Vikings shutout Seahawks, 3-0, in Salem

SALEM, Mass. -- Ryan Hyjek (Tolland, Conn.) fired a two-hit complete game shutout to lead Salem State past the Salve Regina Seahawks 3-0 at the Central Campus Baseball Field. Salem State improves to 4-7 on the season, while Salve Regina slips to 8-3.

Hyjek, who improved to 2-0, cruised through the Seahawks' lineup, allowing only an infield single in the fifth to Ryan Sweenor (South Kingstown, R.I.) and a clean single to left field in the ninth by Sean Becker (Richmond, Va.). The senior also struck out seven, and allowed just two walks.

Cory Poplawski (Syracuse, N.Y.) started for Salve Regina, and was replaced in the third after recording an out with a man on base. Seahawks' replacement pitcher Vincent Roth (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) then allowed a single to Kevin Carens (Northborough, Mass.) and a walk to Matt Burgess (Kingston, Mass.) to load the bases. Brett Cahill (Gloucester, Mass.) and Alex Toomey (Beverly,Mass.) worked back-to-back walks to make it 2-0 Vikings.

Roth pitched two thirds of an inning and allowed three walks, and a run. John McDermott (Bedford Hills, N.Y.) relieved Roth and was followed by Mike Schuermann (Rockville Centre, N.Y.), Kyle Pheland (No. Scituate, R.I.), and Cole Tretter (East Lynne, Conn.). Salve Regina's bullpen kept Salem State off the scoreboard until the seventh when Frank Lemieux (Mansfield, Mass.) allowed an insurance run to the Vikings on a sacrifice fly by Toomey.

Richard Fecteau (Newbury, Mass.) and Mike Lamothe (Beverly, Mass.) each collected a pair of hits for Salem State. Poplawski (2-1) took the loss, allowing two hits, and a run in 2 1/3 innings pitched.

The Vikings play Rhode Island College at home tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. The Seahawks play against conference foe Eastern Nazarene on Friday at 2 p.m., on Reynolds Field on the Salve Regina campus.