Lemieux limits Gulls to 3 hits; Salve salvages split

BEVERLY, Mass. – Salve Regina University freshman Frank Lemieux (Marshfield, Mass.) pitched a complete-game three-hitter to help the Seahawks salvage a split with nationally-ranked Endicott College in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) baseball action at North Field.

In game one junior Harry Oringer (Dartmouth Mass.) doubled to right field that brought in the game winning RBI as the Gulls launched to a 3-2 victory. In game two, the Seahawks were able to score in three separate innings to earn the 3-1 decision. Endicott moves to 10-3 (3-1 CCC) while Salve Regina now stands at 12-5 (3-2 CCC).

Prior to the tilt with Salve Regina, Endicott cracked the Collegiate Baseball News' Division III Top-30 poll coming in at #27 while also being ranked #4 in the New England region announced by the NEIBA this morning.

Game One: Endicott 4, Salve Regina 3
Four different Gulls provided the RBIs in their four run game. Starting in the bottom of the first with Oringer and freshman Cam Farnham (Andover, Mass.) in scoring position, senior Brett Holmgren (Middleboro, Mass.) singled to center field to bring Oringer home. Senior Tad Gold (Martha's Vineyard, Mass.) then singled to the shortstop to bring Farnham in from third. To wrap up the scoring sophomore Matthew Paola (Middlebury, Conn.) earned a hit that took Gold around the bases to close out the inning on top 3-0.

The Seahawks then went on to score one run in each of the next three innings to make it a tie score. The batting for both sides were silenced for two innings which led to a pitching duel between Endicott's sophomore JJ Branch (Milford, Mass.) and his counterpart, junior Kyle Pheland (No. Scituate, R.I.). Branch (2-0) pitched all seven innings and allowed nine hits on 29 batters faced while throwing 91 pitches.

After the Blue and Green played a strong defensive top of the seventh that saw a clutch double play by second baseman Oringer, shortstop Cody Hall (Rutland, Mass.) and senior first baseman Brett Holmgren (Middleboro, Mass.) the Blue and Green entered the bottom of the seventh with a chance for a walk-off win.

With senior sophomore Nick Quattro (Canton, Conn.) on second base, Oringer hit a drive down the right field line that brought Quattro around the bases with ease to earn the 4-3 victory.

Game Two: Salve Regina 3, Endicott 1
Senior catcher EJ Martinez (Brooklyn, N.Y.) scored the lone run of the game on a wild pitch from Lemieux early on in the bottom of the second inning.

The Seahawks runs came in the third, sixth and seventh inning as sophomores Ryan Kelly (Waldwick, N.J.) and Ryan Sweenor (South Kingstown, R.I.) and junior Daniel Donohue (Westbury, N.Y.) each earned RBIs in the victory.

Lemieux (2-2) pitched a solid seven innings on the mound as he only allowed three hits on the 30 Gulls faced in the evening. Endicott's freshman Luke Morse (Westford, Mass.) started on the bump and hurled five innings for the Blue and Green while facing 21 batters. Senior Connor McLaughlin (Clinton, Mass.) came in on the relief in the sixth inning while junior Zac Poland (Essex Junction, Vt.) took over after a third run by the Seahawks to close out the seventh inning.

The game deciding run came in the top of the sixth inning when Sweenor doubled to right center to bring home teammate Dominic Di Sano (Central Falls, R.I.). Donohue earned the insurance RBI as he singled to left center to bring home senior Anthony Conte (Georgetown, Mass.) to secure to 3-1 decision and give the Gulls their first conference loss of the season.