WINTER PARK, Fla. – Junior Robert Kelly (Aurora, Colo.) went 3-for-5 and drove in five runs to lead the Saint Anselm College baseball team to a 6-4 victory in the second game of a three-game set against Rollins College on Sunday evening at Alfond Stadium.
The Hawks improve to 3-2 on the season, while the Tars fall to 8-4.
Kelly, who set his career high for RBIs in a single game with six against Assumption on May 2, 2010, drove in five runs for the first time in his career.
Saint Anselm jumped on the board in the first when Kelly grounded out to second and drove in junior Andrew Chandler (Westford, Mass.), who singled to lead off the contest.
Rollins tied it in the bottom half of the inning when Kevin Mager hit a two-out RBI single up the middle that scored Nick Adams, who also singled up the middle to lead off the inning.
The Tars made it 2-1 in the second after a two-out RBI single up the middle by Anthony Figliolia plated Brandon Curson, who doubled down the left field line leading off the inning.
Kelly pulled the Hawks even in the third when his two-out single through the left side brought Chandler, who reached on a walk, around to score. Saint Anselm then went up 3-2 in the fourth when junior Rett Ostafin (Avon, Conn.) grounded out to first with the bases loaded and sophomore Dan Lagasse (Londonderry, N.H.), who drew a leadoff walk, came around to score.
After Saint Anselm starter, senior John Healy (Cranston, R.I.), picked up a pair of quick strikeouts in the bottom of the fourth, Greg Smith belted a solo home run to left and the game was tied at three.
The Hawks pulled ahead in the fifth on a two-run homer to right-center by Kelly. The slugger's first home run of the year scored junior Richie Manzi (Plymouth, N.H.), who singled to right in the inning's previous at bat.
The Tars got one back in the bottom of the inning when Zach Persky's groundout to first plated Figliolia, who tripled to the left-center field gap leading off the frame.
Kelly provided some insurance in the seventh when his double to left once again scored Chandler, who singled to left leading off the inning.
Senior Joe Latino (Holden, Mass.), who recorded the final out of the sixth, kept Rollins off the board in the seventh, eighth and ninth to record his first save of the season.
Healy, who missed all of last season due to injury, recorded his first victory since May 1, 2010. Healy went 5.2 innings and allowed four runs – two earned – on eight hits, while striking out six and walking three. Latino worked the final 3.1 innings as he held the Tars to just three hits and a pair of walks.
Chandler went 2-for-4 and scored three times. Manzi, senior Daniel DeCoste (Chelmsford, Mass.) and freshman Mike Hayden (Cranston, R.I.) recorded the other hits for the Hawks as they each went 1-for-3.
The Hawks return to action Monday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. when they meet Rollins in the rubber game of their three-game set.
