EASTON, MASS. – Robert Kelly (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) extended his hitting streak to nine games this afternoon, going 3-for-4 with an RBI, but it was not enough to defeat the Stonehill College Skyhawks who edged out the Hawks, 2-1.  Senior David Giarrusso (Cranston, R.I.) had another strong outing, allowing just two runs in seven innings, but without run support from his fellow Hawks, he was forced to take the loss.  With the win, the Skyhawks secure their bid to the Northeast-10 playoffs, improving their record to 23-16 (15-9 NE-10), while the Hawks drop to 11-29 (8-16 NE-10).

Scott Hackett shook things up in the bottom of the first, hitting a one-out double to left center.  However, Angelo Bruno then grounded to Richie Manzi (Plymouth, N.H.) at shortstop, who threw Hackett out at third to get the Hawks out of the first inning without allowing a run.

Shane Franz started things right back up in the second inning with a leadoff double to deep center field.  Giarrusso got the next two batters to ground out to first base, but Rob Von Stein got the job done with an RBI single to right field, putting the Skyhawks up, 1-0.

The Skyhawks stranded two runners in the bottom of the third, but back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the fifth put them up 2-0. 

The Hawks got someone on base in five of the first seven innings, but they were unable to put together much of a threat until the bottom of the eighth.  Joshua Lafond (Goffstown, N.H.) started things off by getting hit by a pitch.  Richie Manzi made it first and second with a fielder's choice, but James Garrigan (Plymouth, Mass.) popped up his sacrifice bunt attempt to make the first out.  Robert Kelly drove in Lafond with his third hit of the day, an RBI single to left center.  Matt Sucharewicz (Peabody, Mass.) followed him with a single through the right side, but Manzi was held up at third to keep the bases loaded.  Matt Stone (West Roxbury, Mass.) then hit a grounder to the first baseman, who forced out Manzi at the plate, and Steven Panza (Watertown, Mass.) flew out to left to leave the bases loaded with the Hawks trailing 2-1.

Kyle Lavin (Shelton, Conn.) pitched a perfect bottom of the eighth, and the Hawks went back out looking for another run.  Eric Simm (Salem, N.H.) drew a leadoff walk, but after Rett Ostafin (Avon, Conn.) flew out to right, Joshua Lafond grounded into a fielder's choice for the second out.  Manzi put the tying run on second with a single to left, but Garrigan struck out for the final out of the game, as the Hawks took their 10th one-run loss of the season.

Robert Kelly's three hits improve his team-leading batting average to .363.  Richie Manzi and Matt Sucharewicz both had two hits in the game, and Joshua Lafond scored the Hawks' only run.  David Giarrusso allowed two runs on 10 hits while striking out four in seven innings, and Kyle Lavin pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth.

Michael White earned his fourth win of the season, allowing just one run on five hits in 7.1 innings while striking out six, and Michael Von Stein gave up two hits and a walk in the final 1.2 innings.

The Hawks are back in action tomorrow for their final two home games of the season.  The team will take on the Assumption College Greyhounds in a Northeast-10 doubleheader on Senior Day beginning at 12:00 pm.  Be sure to arrive early, as the Hawks will recognize six graduating seniors prior to the game for their contributions to the Saint Anselm baseball program over the past four years.