NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Junior Robert Kelly (Aurora, Colo.) went 3-for-8 with three RBI and also pitched seven strong innings as the Saint Anselm College baseball team split a doubleheader with 14th-ranked Southern Connecticut State University on Sunday afternoon at the Ballpark at SCSU. Saint Anselm rallied to win game one, 15-10, before Southern Connecticut captured a 3-2 victory in the second game.
The Hawks are now 8-13 on the season, while the Owls are 17-6.
In game one, the Hawks trailed 10-8 in the ninth when they erupted for seven runs in the top half of the inning. With the bases loaded, sophomore Dan Lagasse (Londonderry, N.H.) reached on an error that scored freshman Mike Hayden (Cranston, R.I.) and Kelly to knot the game at 10.
Junior Richie Manzi (Plymouth, N.H.) gave the Hawks the lead with a sacrifice fly to right that scored sophomore Nate Gonya (Wolfeboro, N.H.). Junior Andrew Chandler (Westford, Mass.) singled through the left to score Lagasse to make it 12-10. Kelly then came through with a two-run single down the left field line before Hayden drove in a run with a single to left that made it 15-10.
Senior Joe Latino (Holden, Mass.) earned his first victory of the season after going 4.1 innings and allowing four runs on four hits, while walking one and striking out a batter. Junior James Farrington (W. Milford, N.J.) worked a scoreless ninth, giving up a hit and a walk.
After Southern Connecticut struck for four runs in the first against Saint Anselm starter Timothy Cooney (E. Bridgewater, Mass.), the Hawks returned the favor with four runs in the second. Junior Rett Ostafin (Avon, Conn.) put the Hawks on the board when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Sacrifice flies from sophomores Mike DeSimone (Southwick, Mass.) and Tito Lluberes (Lawrence, Mass.) cut it to 4-3 before Ostafin scored on a wild pitch to tie the game.
The Owls grabbed a 5-4 lead in the third on a sac fly by Michael Cleary.
Saint Anselm leapfrogged Southern Connecticut with two runs in the fourth. DeSimone singled to right to score Lagasse, who led off the inning with a double. Kelly then made it 6-5 when he walked with the bases loaded to score DeSimone.
The game was tied at six in the bottom of the inning when Ryan Geffert singled up the middle to drive in a run.
The Hawks took an 8-6 lead in the fifth with two outs and the bases load when Lluberes reached on an error and Lagasse and Gonya scored.
Southern Connecticut hung a three-spot in the bottom of the inning and then added one in the seventh to make it 10-8.
Cooney went 3.2 innings and relinquished six runs on 11 hits, while striking out a batter.
Kelly went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored, while Hayden was 4-for-6 with an RBI and pair of runs scored. DeSimone and Lagasse were each 2-for-3. DeSimone drove in two runs and scored a pair, while Lagasse drove in a run and scored four times. Gonya and Grumoli were each 2-for-5.
In game two, Bryan Dorsey staked the Owls to a 1-0 lead in the first with an RBI single to right. Southern Connecticut took a 3-0 lead in the fourth when Peter Testa singled to left to drive in a run and later scored when Nick Baviello stole second with two outs.
The Hawks jumped on the board in the fifth when Hayden doubled to left and then scored on Ostafin's sac fly to left. Kelly then scored on a wild pitch in the seventh to trim the deficit to one.
Saint Anselm put two on with no one out in the eighth, but did not score. In the ninth, Gonya drew a one-out walk, but did not advance.
Kelly went seven innings, allowing three runs – two earned – on eight hits, while striking out three. Sophomore Matt Lessard (Hooksett, N.H.) gave up a hit and a walk to the two batters he faced, while sophomore Zachary Brian (Stoneham, Mass.) and freshman David Kent (N. Falmouth, Mass.) each worked 0.1 innings with a strikeout.
Senior Jeffrey Criscuolo (Durham, Conn.) was 2-for-3, while Hayden and Gonya each went 1-for-3. Kelly was 1-for-4.
The Hawks return to action Wednesday, March 28 at 3:30 p.m. when they open their home slate by playing host to Franklin Pierce University at Sullivan Park.
