MANCHESTER, N.H. – Fueled by a three-hit day at the plate by Robert Kelly (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) and five scoreless innings by Neil Hesek (Northboro, Mass.), the Hawks cruised past the Merrimack College Warriors, 5-1 in their final non-conference game at Sullivan Park this season.  Kelly extended his hitting streak to eight games in today's outing and took over the top spot on the Hawk offense with a .351 batting average on the season.  The Hawks' claimed their 11th win in today's game, improving their record to 11-28 (8-15 NE-10), while the Warriors fall back to .500 at 16-16 (11-12 NE-10).

After drawing two quick fly outs to right field in the top of the first, starting pitcher Robert Kelly allowed Brendan Pyburn a long fly ball to right field which carried in today's strong wind up and over the wall for a solo home run. 

The Hawks bounced back quickly in the bottom of the inning, as Richie Manzi (Plymouth, N.H.) led off with a fly ball to deep center field.  Centerfielder Tim Curran got his glove on the ball, but was unable to gain control on the play, allowing Manzi to get to second on a two-base error.  James Garrigan (Plymouth, Mass.) walked, and Robert Kelly loaded the bases with a single to right field.  Matt Sucharewicz (Peabody, Mass.) picked up the first Hawk RBI of the day with a ground out to the first baseman, and Matt Stone (West Roxbury, Mass.) gave the Hawks the lead with a sacrifice fly to right field. 

Robert Kelly did not allow a hit over the next two innings, and in the bottom of the third, Richie Manzi got on base with a leadoff single to second base.  He made it to second on a botched pickoff attempt by pitcher Joe Mantoni, and Kelly made it first and third with a single to center.  Sucharewicz got his second RBI of the day with a grounder to second base, and Matt Stone kept it going with a two-out double to right field.  However, Steven Panza (Watertown, Mass.) then grounded out to second for the final out of the inning, stranding two.

The Warriors threatened in the top of the fifth inning, as Paul Manganiello led off with a perfectly-placed bunt single down the left field line and got to second on a wild pitch.  Mark O'Flynn then hit a sharp grounder up the middle that was snagged out of the air by pitcher Neil Hesek.  Hesek caught Manganeillo in no-man's land between second and third, but he made a bad throw to second, allowing both runners to advance safely, making it first and third with one out.  Nonetheless, Hesek picked up a key out on the next play, sitting down Brett Julian on a called third strike, and drew a fly out from Pyburn to end the inning unscathed. 

The Hawks kept it going in the bottom of the fifth, as James Garrigan got to first on an error by second baseman Brett Julian.  He stole second base on the first pitch, and Kelly picked up his third hit of the day with a single to short.  Sucharewicz got hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Stone earned his second RBI of the day with a single to center.  Steven Panza struck out looking for the second out, and Eric Simm (Salem, N.H.) then grounded to second to end the inning and leave the bases loaded.

After retiring the Warriors 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth, the Hawks got right back to it in the bottom of the inning.  Richie Manzi started it off with a two-out single to third base, and Garrigan drove him in with a double to deep left center, making it 5-1 Hawks.

The Warriors stranded Beau Batchelor on second in the top of the seventh after he hit a one-out double, but after O'Flynn was hit by a pitch later in the inning, the Hawks did not allow another base runner through the rest of the game.

The Hawks hoped to add to their run total in the top of the eighth, as Eric Simm led off with a single. Joshua Lafond (Goffstown, N.H.) kept it going with a one-out single to center, and then Richie Manzi stepped up to the plate.  Manzi smashed a liner to the left side but shortstop Brendan Pyburn snatched it out of the air, stunning Simm on the base paths and doubling him off at second to end the inning.

Mike O'Rourke (Falmouth, Mass.) came in for the top of the ninth, and finished off the Warriors 1-2-3 to snap the Hawks' six-game skid and tab a much-deserved win.

Robert Kelly went 3-for-4 at the plate, extending his current hitting streak to eight games and improving his batting average to .351, taking over the top spot on the team.  Kelly has hit safely in 27 of his 33 appearances this season, and in the past eight games, he has batted .545 (18-33) with five doubles, 10 runs, six RBI and six multi-hit games.   Richie Manzi went 2-for-5 in the game with three runs, Matt Stone went 2-for-2 with a double, a walk and two RBI, and James Garrigan had an RBI double and two runs.

Robert Kelly also pitched three solid innings on the mound for the Hawks, allowing just one hit, a solo home run.  Neil Hesek then pitched five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out four and earning the win, and Mike O'Rourke pitched a perfect top of the ninth to close out the game for the Hawks.

Joe Mantoni earned his second loss of the season, giving up five runs, though only two were earned, on eight hits while striking out four in 5.2 innings.  Brian Wolfendale finished out the final 2.1 innings, and allowed just two hits and a walk.

The Hawks hit the road tomorrow afternoon to take on the Stonehill College Skyhawks in a Northeast-10 Conference game beginning at 3:30 pm.