MANCHESTER, N.H. – Senior John Healy (Cranston, R.I.) pitched seven quality innings and freshman Mike Hayden (Cranston, R.I.) and sophomore Dan Lagasse (Londonderry, N.H.) each drove in three runs as the Saint Anselm College baseball team captured a 7-2 victory against the University of Massachusetts Lowell on Sunday afternoon at Sullivan Park.
The Hawks improve to 17-18-1 on the season, including 5-3-1 in Northeast-10 Northeast Division play, while the River Hawks fall to 19-13-1, 4-5 NE-10 NE.
The Hawks drew first blood with three runs in the first. Sophomore Tito Lluberes (Lawrence, Mass.) began the frame with a double off the fence in left-center and moved to third when junior Richie Manzi (Plymouth, N.H.) grounded out to short. After junior Robert Kelly (Aurora, Colo.) grounded back to the pitcher, Hayden hit a ball in the hole at short that he narrowly beat out at first to give Saint Anselm a 1-0 lead. Lagasse then followed by crushing a 3-1 offering over the right-center field fence to stake the Hawks to a 3-0 advantage.
Saint Anselm added to its lead in the second when sophomore Nate Gonya (Wolfeboro, N.H.) led off the inning with a double to the gap in right-center and then scored on a single to center by junior Andrew Chandler (Westford, Mass.). After Lluberes was hit by a pitch, Manzi dropped down a bunt that moved the runners to second and third with two out. UMass Lowell starter Dallas Nunes issued an intentional walk to Kelly that loaded the bases and then induced an inning-ending pop out off the bat of Hayden.
Healy then worked out of a jam in the fourth. With runners at first and third with one out, Healy struck out Mark Sanborn and got Zach Berger to pop out to third to end the inning.
The Hawks opened their lead to 7-0 in the bottom of the inning. Chandler singled to center with one out, then stole second and went to third when the throw down went into center field. Lluberes then walked and moved to second when Manzi hit a comebacker to Nunes. Kelly was once again issued the intentional walk to load the bases with two outs.
Hayden came through this time, singling through the hole at short to bring in Chandler and Lluberes to make it 6-0. Lagasse followed by hitting a ball to the gap in left-center that left fielder Pat Devlin attempted to make a sliding catch on, but could not come up with it cleanly and Kelly came around to score as Lagasse slid into second with a double. Taylor Robinson then relieved Nunes and hit DeCoste to load the bases, but induced a fly out from Gonya to end the inning.
Healy escaped another tough spot in the fifth when he got Devlin to ground out to short to end the inning and leave the bases packed.
The River Hawks grabbed a pair back in the seventh when Matt Jacobs reached on an infield single and scored when Cam Kneeland hit a triple to the gap in right-center that fell just out of the reach of a diving Chandler. James Katsiroubas then knocked in Kneeland with a single to left that made it 7-2.
Healy (6-1) went the first seven innings and allowed two runs on nine hits, while striking out six and walking two. Senior Timothy Cooney (E. Bridgewater, Mass.) and junior James Farrington (W. Milford, N.J.) each tossed scoreless innings in relief. Cooney allowed a hit and struck out a batter in the eighth, while Farrington allowed a hit and struck out a pair in the ninth.
Hayden was 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored, while Lagasse, Gonya and Chandler were each 2-for-4. Lagasse drove in three and scored a run, Gonya scored once and Chandler drove in a run and scored a run.
The Hawks return to action Tuesday, April 17 at 3:30 p.m. when they travel to wrap up the season series with Saint Michael's. The next home game for the Hawks is Wednesday, April 18 at 3:30 p.m. when they play host to crosstown rival, Southern New Hampshire University, at Sullivan Park.
