Streak moves to 10 games, SRU sweeps Curry

MILTON, Mass. - The Salve Regina baseball team pushed its winning streak to 10 games with its sixth Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader sweep of the season, taking both games from Curry. The Seahawks took the first game 7-4 in nine innings before completing the sweep with a 2-1 win in the night cap. 

With the score knotted at 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh and the bases loaded, junior Kevin Lambert (Fairfield, Conn.) got senior Matt Rodriguez (Quincy, Mass.) to fly out to freshman Ryan Kelly (Waldwick, N.J.) in center to end the inning and send the game into extras. 

After a scoreless eighth for both teams, Salve Regina struck first in the free baseball. Junior Dominic Di Sano (Central Falls, R.I.) doubled down the left field line to bring home sophomore Joe Haley (North Kingston, R.I.) and junior Tyler Colby (Easton, Conn.) and give the Seahawks a 6-4 lead. Sophomore Mark Boland (Orange, Conn.) singled to left field with two outs to bring around Di Sano to a more comfortable, 7-4, lead. 

Lambert worked efficiently in the bottom of the ninth, allowing just a two-out infield single to junior Matt Moore (Clearwater, Kan.) before getting sophomore Derek Piazzro (Cambridge, Mass.) to ground out to end the game. 

Salve Regina took a 2-1 lead after the top of the third inning but Curry answered with three in the bottom of the frame to take its only lead, 4-2. The Colonels strung together three-straight two out singles to tie the game, 2-2 before a pair of bases-loaded singles to juniors Brandon Lewis (Barrington, R.I.) and Collin McCarthy (Quincy, Mass.) gave Curry a 4-2 lead. 

Salve Regina came right back in the top of the fourth to re-tie the game with two runs in the frame. Junior Anthony Conte (Georgetown, Mass.) and Kelly drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Freshman Ryan Sweenor (South Kingston, R.I.) tied the game with one swing of the bat as he laced a two-run single to center field to score sophomore Matt Conroy (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Conte. 

Freshman starter Sean Healy (Wakefield, R.I.) worked him self out of trouble in the bottom of the fourth and was able to hold off the Colonels and keep the game tied. Healy threw 5.0 innings for the no-decision while allowing four runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out three. Sophomore Gabe Cretella (Seymour, Conn.) and freshman Mike Schuermann (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) combined for 1.2 scoreless innings before Lambert came in to pick up his third win of the year. 

Salve Regina and Curry each plated a run in the first inning of the second game before both lineups fell uncharacteristically quite, at least for the Seahawks, over the next four innings, as each starter allowed just two hits to the opposing bats. The Colonels had their best scoring chance of the late innings in the bottom of the sixth. With two runners in scoring position and one out, it looked as though Curry was going to take the lead, but Conte squelched that chance, getting Rodreiguez out at home as he was coming home off a fielder's choice. 

Salve Regina took the lead in the top of the seventh as Kelly crossed to plate thanks to an RBI-single from Colby. Senior Daniel Kehew (Portsmouth, R.I.) got three groundouts in the home half of the frame to end the game and earn his second win in a row in his complete game effort. Kehew allowed just one unearned run on five hits and a walk. 

Colby led the Seahawks with three hits in the double dip while Di Sano led the team with three RBI. 

Salve Regina returns to the diamond when the Seahawks travel to Brandies on Friday, April 26 for a 3 p.m. start before hosting Endicott at historic Cardines Field on Saturday for a CCC doubleheader honoring the two Seahawk seniors.  The first pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.