Senior Day split for the Seahawks; Salve Regina nabs top seed

NEWPORT, R.I. (Saturday, May 4, 2024) - Salve Regina University baseball split its final regular-season doubleheader with Worcester Polytechnic Institute winning 11-0 in seven innings before dropping the nightcap, 6-5, with the potential game-tying run stranded on second base.

Salve Regina celebrated its Class of 2024 in pre-game ceremonies before game one - #2 Kyle Platt (Bethel, Conn.), #8 Brandon Grover (Ashland, Mass.), #9 Michael Breen (Auburn, Mass.), #13 Christian Homa (Fairfield, Conn.), #15 Tyler Petrosino (Beverly, Mass.), #26 Gianfranco Messina (Cranston, R.I.), #41 Daniel Manente (Seymour, Conn.), #45 Brayden Clark (Beverly, Mass.).

Grover and Petrosino were among six Seahawks in the opener with multiple hits led by a 4-for-4 performance from third baseman Wil McCarthy (Pembroke, Mass.) who also had a double and drove in two runs. Starter Sean Mulligan (Verona, N.J.) posted his second-straight complete-game shutout and third of the season (all seven-inning shortened games due to 10-run mercy rule in NEWMAC) while allowing just two hits to the Engineers (20-16-1, 8-8 NEWMAC).

With one run in the third of game two and four more in the fourth, WPI took a 5-0 lead into the sixth against Salve Regina. Seahawk outfielder Matt D'Amato (Midland Park, N.J.), who continues to climb the all-time hit list (now fifth with 216, four behind his head coach Eric Cirella '05 and Alex Perry '18), singled in Grover in the bottom of the sixth to get his team on the board. The Engineers regained the five-run lead when Jacob Hand (Niskayuna, N.Y.) doubled down the left-field line to score Liam Keblin (Newton, Mass.) who finished 3-for-3 with three runs scored.

Pinch hitters accounted for four runs batted in in the bottom of the eighth. Alex Holberton (Chatham, N.J.) led off the frame with his first collegiate home run to make the score, 6-2. Hunter Yaworski (Brooklyn, Conn.), who went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored as the designated hitter in the opener, had a bases-loaded pinch-hit double to pull the Seahawks within one run. Petrosino's line drive to center field was converted into an inning-ending double play. In the ninth, Salve Regina graduate student Tyler Cannoe (Schenectady, N.Y.) had a one-out pinch-hit single to center field and pinch-runner Matt Stokes (Summit, N.J.) immediately stole second before Holberton had another great at bat and drew a walk. Seahawks were unable to advance the runners and ultimately fell at home for the second time this season.

The Seahawks (32-6, 13-3 NEWMAC) finish the regular season tied with the United States Coast Guard Academy, and split with the Bears in the regular season, with the tiebreaker going in Salve Regina's favor.

2024 NEWMAC Baseball Championship

Wednesday, May 8 – at Babson/Wheaton (single-elimination)

Game 1- No. 6 MIT at No. 3 Babson - 3:30 p.m. 
Game 2- No. 5 WPI at No. 4 Wheaton - 3:30 p.m. 

Friday, May 10 – at Salve Regina/Coast Guard (double-elimination)

Game 3- Winner Game 2 at No. 1 Salve Regina - 3:30 p.m. 
Game 4- Winner Game 1 at No. 2 Coast Guard - 3:30 p.m. 

Saturday, May 11 – at Salve Regina (double-elimination)

Game 5- Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 - 9:30 a.m. 
Game 6- Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 - 12:30 p.m. 
Game 7- Winner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6 - 3:30 p.m. 

Sunday, May 12 – at highest remaining seed (double-elimination)

Game 8- Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 7 - 11:00 a.m. 
Game 9- Winner Game 8 vs. Loser Game 8 (if necessary) - 3:00 p.m.