MANCHESTER, N.H. – Junior Robert Kelly (Aurora, Colo.) went 3-for-8 with two home runs and seven RBI on the day and also tossed seven stellar innings in game one as the Saint Anselm College baseball team split a Saturday afternoon doubleheader with the University of Massachusetts Lowell at Sullivan Park.
The Hawks move to 16-18-1 on the season, including 4-3-1 in Northeast-10 Northeast Division play, while the River Hawks are now 19-12-1, 4-4 NE-10 NE.
UMass Lowell jumped on the board first in the fourth inning of game one when James Katsiroubas led off the inning with a solo shot to center off Kelly.
The Hawks responded in a huge way in the bottom of the inning, however, as they hung an eight-spot on the River Hawks. Saint Anselm tied it when senior Daniel DeCoste (Chelmsford, Mass.) doubled off the wall in center to drive in sophomore Dan Lagasse (Londonderry, N.H.), who tripled off the wall in right-center to lead off the inning.
After sophomore Nate Gonya (Wolfeboro, N.H.) walked and senior Jeffrey Criscuolo (Durham, Conn.) reached on a bunt single to load the bases, junior Andrew Chandler (Westford, Mass.) singled through the left side to plate a run and make it 2-1.
Sophomore Tito Lluberes (Lawrence, Mass.) followed by singling off the pitcher to drive in a run and make it a two-run game. Junior Richie Manzi (Plymouth, N.H.) then stroked a two-run single to right before Kelly crushed a three-run homer to right that opened it up to 8-1.
The Hawks added one in the fifth when Chandler walked, stole both second and third, and then scored when Manzi grounded out to third.
Saint Anselm tacked on two more in the sixth. Freshman Mike Hayden (Cranston, R.I.) lined a solo homer over the fence down the left field line to lead off the inning. Lagasse followed by doubling down the right field line, moving to third on a wild pitch and scoring on DeCoste's sacrifice fly to center to make it 11-1.
Kelly (2-2) worked the first seven innings and allowed just one run on nine hits, while striking out three and walking one.
The River Hawks grabbed one back in the eighth on Jimmy Ricoy's RBI single to left-center and then pushed five across in the ninth to make it a ballgame. Pat Devlin drove in a pair with a double down the left field line and then scored when Ricoy reached on an error. Matthew Sanchez came through with a two-run single to left that made it 11-7, but that was as close as UMass Lowell would come.
Sophomore Matt Lessard (Hooksett, N.H.) worked 0.2 innings, giving up one run on a hit and a pair of walks. Freshman David Kent (N. Falmouth, Mass.) tossed the final 1.1 innings, relinquishing five runs – two earned – on four hits, while striking out a batter.
Lagasse went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs, while DeCoste and Manzi were each 2-for-5. DeCoste drove in a run and scored another, while Manzi collected three RBI and scored a run. Gonya was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run.
The Hawks seized an early lead in game two when they plated three runs in the first. Kelly picked up where he left off in the first game, doubling to right-center to score Lluberes, who doubled to lead off the inning, and Manzi, who walked. Kelly then crossed the plate when DeCoste hit a two-out double to left.
The game stayed 3-0 until the fifth when Zach Berger hit a solo home run to right center off Saint Anselm starter, senior Sean Hayden (Haverhill, Mass.).
The Hawks answered back with two in the bottom of the fifth when Lluberes was hit by a pitch before Kelly drove a 1-1 pitch over the fence in center to make it 5-1.
UMass Lowell responded with five in the top half of the sixth. Katsiroubas plated the first run with an RBI single to left before two runs crossed the plate when Ricoy reached on a fielder's choice. The River Hawks grabbed the lead when Berger drove in a pair on a single to left.
The River Hawks tacked on to their 6-5 lead with three in the eighth. A Matt Jacobs single to right made it 7-5 before RBI doubles to left by Geoff DeGroot and Cam Kneeland opened it up to 9-5.
Hayden went 5.1 innings and gave up six runs on seven hits, while walking two and striking out a pair. Senior Neil Hesek (Northboro, Mass.) recorded two outs in the sixth, allowing a hit and a walk. Senior Joe Latino (Holden, Mass.) pitched two innings, giving up three runs on six hits and notching a strikeout. Junior William O'Connor (Worcester, Mass.) tossed a perfect ninth, striking out a batter.
Kelly was 2-for-5 with four RBI and a pair of runs scored. Chandler was 2-for-4, while Manzi and Criscuolo were each 1-for-3.
The Hawks return to action Sunday, April 15 at 1 p.m. when they wrap up their three-game set by playing host to UMass Lowell at Sullivan Park.
