MANCHESTER, N.H. – Senior John Healy (Cranston, R.I.) submitted another quality start and junior Andrew Chandler (Westford, Mass.) drove in the eventual winning run in the eighth inning as the Saint Anselm College baseball team earned a 3-2 victory against 12th-ranked Southern New Hampshire University on Tuesday afternoon at Sullivan Park.
The Hawks improve to 21-19-2 on the season, including 9-4-1 in Northeast-10 Northeast Division play. The Hawks are now 5-1-1 over their last seven and 9-3-1 over their last 13. The Penmen lose for the sixth time in eight games, including their fourth straight, to drop to 33-10, 9-7 NE-10 NE.
The Hawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Southern New Hampshire starter Tim Flight when sophomore Dan Lagasse (Londonderry, N.H.) plated junior Richie Manzi (Plymouth, N.H.) and senior Daniel DeCoste (Chelmsford, Mass.) with a two-out bloop single to right-center.
Healy worked out of trouble in the third. After recording two quick outs, Healy gave up back-to-back singles to Brendan O'Brien and Kevin Spatkowski before walking Matt Boulter to load the bases. Healy dug in, however, and struck out Andy Lalli looking, to get out of the jam.
Healy could not escape in the fourth, however, as Greg Pezzuto singled to lead off the inning, moved to second on a wild pitch and then scored when Jon Minucci drove a pitch over the center field fence to knot the game at two.
The Hawks threatened to snap the tie in the sixth. After Flight recorded a pair of outs, freshman Mike Hayden (Cranston, R.I.) doubled to right-center and then advanced to third on a single up the middle by Nate Gonya (Wolfeboro, N.H.). Flight came up with a big punch out to end the inning, however.
David Gibson relieved Flight to begin the seventh and loaded the bases with two out. Tyler Gauthier came in to face Lagasse, who lined out to third to end the frame.
SNHU put together its own rally in the eighth. Spatkowski singled to left-center to lead off the inning, before moving to second on Boulter's groundout. Senior Timothy Cooney (E. Bridgewater, Mass.) relieved Healy and got Lalli to line out to second. Pezzuto then reached first on an infield single and stole second before Cooney struck out Minucci to end the threat.
Saint Anselm broke the deadlock in the bottom half of the inning. Gauthier nailed down the first two outs when senior Jeffrey Criscuolo (Durham, Conn.) doubled to the base of the wall in left, moved to third on a wild pitch and then scored when Chandler singled up the middle.
Junior James Farrington (W. Milford, N.J.) pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his sixth save of the season.
Healy went 7.1 innings, giving up two runs – one earned – on six hits, while striking out 10 and walking two. Cooney (1-1) earned the win, going 0.2 innings, allowing a hit and striking out a batter. Farrington recorded a pair of strikeouts in his perfect inning of work.
Flight pitched the first six innings and gave up two runs on eight hits to go along with 10 strikeouts and a pair of walks. Gibson walked two over 0.2 innings, while Gauthier (2-1) was tagged with the loss after relinquishing a run on two hits over 1.1 innings.
Chandler went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk, while Criscuolo was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Lagasse was 1-for-3 with a pair of RBI and a walk. DeCoste went 1-for-2 with a run scored and was hit by a pitch twice. Manzi was also 1-for-3 with a run and a walk.
The Hawks return to action Wednesday, April 25 at 3:30 p.m. when they play host to Franklin Pierce University at Sullivan Park. The Hawks and Penmen wrap up their season series Thursday, April 26 at 3:30 p.m. when they meet again at Sullivan.
