Lyons prevail on Memorial Day

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HARTFORD, Conn. (Mon., May 31, 2021) - Playing any college sport on Memorial Day is rare indeed. Salve Regina University baseball just missed extending its season into June with a 7-4 loss to Wheaton College who went on to defeat University of Southern Maine, 2-1, and capture the Hartford Regional to advance to the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

After rain washed out Sunday's competition, the Seahawks (16-7-1) and Lyons (20-5) returned to Murren Family Field at DiBenedetto Stadium on the campus of Trinity College 23 hours after their previously scheduled rematch. The teams had met on the opening day of the Hartford Regional on Thursday with Wheaton rallying from a 4-3 deficit to score a 5-4 triumph. Salve Regina stayed alive in its bid to reach the College World Series by knocking off two-time national champion and nationally-ranked University of Southern Maine by a 5-4 final.

On Saturday, the Huskies (34-11) hustled to wins in a pair of elimination games - 4-0 over Oswego State and 4-1 over Wheaton - while the Seahawks advanced to the final day with a 4-2 triumph over Johnson & Wales.

Salve Regina righty starter Zach Dionne (Tolland, Conn.) enjoyed a 1-2-3 first frame and got a double-play grounder in the second inning to work around two Lyons basehits. Third baseman Nick Croteau (Cumberland, R.I.) led off the third with a double to right field, and later scored when the Seahawks misplayed a sacrifice bunt by Patrick Santorella (Scituate, Mass.). A Jacob Studley (Barrington, R.I.) triple (his first of three on the day - two later in final game against Huskies) plated two more Wheaton runs when Santorella and George Mulcahy (Brooklyn, N.Y.) touched home. Zach DeMattio (North Attleboro, Mass.) doubled in Studley, and before the inning was over, Wheaton had five runs on the board with an Andrew Spirito (Cranston, R.I.) single.

Croteau doubled again to lead off the next inning off Seahawk reliever Andrew Roman (Monson, Mass.). After a walk and a hit by pitch, Mulcahy singled home Croteau and Santorello for a 7-0 Lyon lead.

Meanwhile, Wheaton righty starter Josh Roberge (Chelmsford, Mass.) held the Seahawks hitless until Zach Barlok (Cheshire, Conn.) stroked a single in the top of the fifth. With two outs in the inning, Matt D'Amato (Midland Park, N.J.) reached on an error while Sean O'Malley (Darien, Conn.) and Barlok crossed the plate for the first two Seahawk runs.

Lifted by an inning-ending double play turned by left fielder Jared Beniers (Abington, Mass.) chasing down a line drive and firing back to shortstop Michael Breen (Auburn, Mass.) who relayed to first baseman Tyler Cannoe (Schenectady, N.Y.), the Seahawk offense added two more runs in the seventh to close within three, 7-4. Barlok and Breen started the inning with back-to-back singles and moved up on a ground out. D'Amato's sacrifice fly scored Barlok and second baseman Dustin Siqueira (Trumbull, Conn.) followed with a two-out single to score Breen.

Graham Jeffries (Chelsmford, Mass.), who earned his first collegiate save in Saturday's victory, pitched two scoreless frames in the fifth and sixth with two strikeouts. Patrick Maybach (Saunderstown, Mass.) also worked two scoreless innings while striking out four Lyons. Griffin Young (Dover, N.H.) earned saves in both Lyons victories today. Against the Seahawks, he retired all six batters he faced with three Ks.

Wheaton scored a run in each of the first two innings and allowed just a solo homer to Southern Maine catcher Cam Seymour (Saco, Maine) in the eighth to claim its regional championship.