Huskies edge Seahawks with run in top of ninth

SEAHAWK BASEBALL RESULTS
#10 Southern Maine 3, #24 Salve Regina 2
Lake Myrtle Sports Complex Field 4 - Auburndale, Fla.
Sunday, March 11, 2018

Summary
AUBURNDALE, Fla. - In its second meeting with a fellow Top 25 team in three days, No. 24 Salve Regina University baseball fell just shy as No. 10 University of Southern Maine scored the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth for a 3-2 victory in Auburndale, Fla. The Seahawks (2-2) scored a first-inning run when junior Zack Smith (New Canaan, Conn.) smacked a one-out single and reached third base on a wild pitch; senior Alex Perry (No. Attleboro, Mass.) drove him in with a single through the right side. Salve Regina broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fourth inning when senior Christian Vargas (Melbourne, Fla.) ripped a two-out basehit up the middle to bring Tristan Dacey (Wyckoff, N.J.) home for a 2-1 lead. The Huskies (1-1) reached reliever Will Ginsberg (Sharon, Mass.) with a leadoff single in the ninth by Dylan Hapworth; Hapworth scored the go-ahead run after a sac bunt, intentional walk, and reliever Andrew Roman (Monson, Mass.), who replaced Ginsberg, was tagged by an RBI single from Sam Troiano.

Series and Streaks
These two schools have now met three times, with the Huskies taking a 2-1 edge in the all-time series. They'll meet again next month (April 22) in Gorham, Maine.

Three Seahawk Stars of the Game

1. Salve Regina senior Alex Perry (No. Attleboro, Mass.) stroked two hits including an RBI single in the first inning.
2. Salve Regina senior Christian Vargas (Melbourne, Fla.) had a fourth-inning two-out run-scoring single among his two hits. Both Vargas and Perry received intentional passes.
3. Salve Regina sophomore Zach Dionne (Tolland, Conn.) started and worked five innings on the mound, striking out five Huskies, walking just one, and allowing just five hits and two runs. He faced the minimum through the first three innings.

Key Stat of the Game
While Salve Regina banged out double-digit basehits for the fourth time this season, the Seahawks left 13 men on base, including three in the seventh inning after loading the bases with one out.

Turning Point
The Seahawks knocked out starter Gage Feeney in the bottom of the seventh inning with a pair of singles to start the frame from Anthony Cieszko (Woodcliff Lake, N.J.) and Dylan Ketch (Clinton, Conn.). Zack Smith greeted reliever Ben Lambert with a deep fly out to right field that advanced Ciesko and Ketch to third and second, respectively. Perry was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Lefty reliever Henry Curran got a line drive to shortstop Andrew Olszak off the bat of left-handed designated hitter Tristan Dacey for the second out. Curran faced Colton Eremian (Boca Raton, Fla.) and escaped the threat with an infield popup.

Quick Hits

• Anthony Cieszko collected three hits on the day.
• Will Ginsberg (0-1) worked 3.1 innings and allowed just three hits.
• Starting second baseman Jake Dexter worked the ninth inning on the mound and flirted with danger before getting the final out on a called strike with the tying run on second base for his first save of the season.
• Reliever Henry Curran picked up the pitching victory with scoreless 1.2 frames.
• Sam Troiano, Dylan Hapworth, Kip Richard, and Anthony Degifico had multiple hits for the Huskies.

Next Up
No. 24 Salve Regina (2-2) plays Wheaton (Mass.) on Mon, March 12 (9 a.m.) at Chain of Lakes Stadium in Winter Haven, Fla. Southern Maine (1-1) is back at Lake Myrtle Sports Complex for a 9 a.m. first pitch against Webster on Monday.