Battle of the birds, #8 Salve Regina transcends #9 Salisbury 9-8

SALISBURY, Md. (Friday, May 24, 2024) -- No 8 Salve Regina University baseball took game one of the best-of-three NCAA Super Regional series, 9-8, over No. 9 Salisbury University with the help of three-run homers each from Tyler Cannoe (Schenectady, N.Y.) and Brady Smolinski (North Grafton, Mass.). 

The Seahawks got right to it in the first inning. Brandon Grover (Ashland, Mass.) reached first on an error and two at bats later scored after Matt D'Amato (Midland Park, N.J.) singled through the right side. Cannoe, fifth in the batting order, homered to left field to bring in D'Amato and Christian Homa (Fairfield, Conn.). At the end of only one inning Salve Regina was ahead 4-0. 

Cannoe had two home runs in the Seahawks 12-3 victory over Washington & Jefferson, the contest that secured Salve Regina's regional win and advancement to the NCAA Super Regional. His total is four home runs in the 2024 season. The 6'5 senior spearheaded two more runs crossing the plate in the second inning when he doubled to left field. 

"It's a good feeling to help our team win," said Cannoe. "I'm just thankfull to be able to have the opportunity to do what I've done today."

Despite trailing 6-0, the Sea Gulls proved they showed up to compete as well. Five Salisbury runs crossed the plate in the third inning after a Seahawk error and Zach Geesaman's (Laurel, Md.) grand slam over the center field wall. Geesaman provided an RBI single in the fourth inning to tie the game and Andrew Kell (Columbia, Md.) hit a sacrifice bunt to advance Dylan Winebrenner (Frederick, Md.) home and put Salisbury ahead 7-6. Kell lead the Coast to Coast Conference during the regular season with a .458 batting average and is tied for second in stolen bases with 13. 

Salve Regina baseball remained composed and charged ahead, scoring three runs in the top of the fifth inning to put themselves ahead once again. With Hunter Yaworski (Brooklyn, Conn.) on third and Wil McCarthy (Pembroke, Mass.) on first, Smolinski went yard, his first career home run. After five innings the Seahawks were once again on top 9-7. 

To make it a one-run game Danny Sheeler (Towson, Md.) hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Kyle Brex (Howell, N.J.) for the Sea Gulls in the top of the eighth inning. However, the team from Newport held their lead, despite a Salisbury double and walk in the ninth. A strike out swinging and a fly out to right field ended the game with Salve Regina ahead 9-8. 

The Sea Gulls faced the fierce lineup of Brayden Clark (Beverly, Mass.), Tommy DelVecchio (Westfield, N.J.), Jason Arrigo (Basking Ridge, N.J.) and Kyle Carozza (Fairfield, Conn.) on the mound.

Seahawks take game one in best-of-three NCAA Super Regional, 9-8, over Sea Gulls as Tyler Cannoe and Brady Smolinski both smack three-run homers. Jason Arrigo (W, 9-1) earns the pitching victory in relief while Kyle Carozza nails down his ninth save. pic.twitter.com/M1K0uBC9us

— Salve Regina Sports (@SalveAthletics) May 25, 2024

"The game was going back and forth," said Arrigo. "It was a good feeling to throw some zeroes in there, get the hitters back in the dugout and go back to work. It was a full team effort. I told Kyle when he was running in from the bullpen that it was his spot and I fully trusted him to be able to close the door — he did so."

Salve Regina remained unbeaten in the Cortland NCAA Regional, beating Colby College 10-5, host Cortland 4-2 and Washington & Jefferson College 12-3 to advance to the Super Regional. In the Babson Regional Salisbury beat UMass Dartmouth 7-0 in game one but fell to Mitchell College 5-1 in game four. Salisbury beat UMass Dartmouth a second time in the loser's bracket and went on to deliver two shutouts over the Mariners to advance. 

"It felt like a heavyweight bout," said manager Eric Cirella '05. "We came out and punched things as hard as we could—put up six. You kind of got the feeling that if things were continuing to go on that trend that maybe it wouldn't come down to a one run game. They stood there and came right back and knocked the wind out of us—took a lead. It took a big swing by us—a home run from Smolinski and it was a team effort. Jason carried us through the last few innings and Carozza was able to get the last few outs. It was one of the best baseball games I've ever been a part of."

Today's result gives the Seahawks a game advantage over the Sea Gulls in the three-game series. Tomorrow the teams will meet on the diamond for game two at 11 a.m. at Donnie Williams Sea Gull Baseball Stadium.