MANCHESTER, N.H. – Senior Neil Hesek (Northboro, Mass.) allowed just two earned runs over seven innings and junior Robert Kelly (Aurora, Colo.) drove in three runs and scored three times as the Saint Anselm College baseball team moved into first place in the Northeast-10 Northeast Division with a 14-4 victory against 21st-ranked Franklin Pierce University on Wednesday afternoon at Sullivan Park.
The Hawks win their fourth straight improve to 22-19-2 on the season, including 10-4-1 in Northeast-10 Northeast Division play, where they now have a half-game lead over the Ravens. The Hawks, who are unbeaten over their last five, are now 6-1-1 over their last eight and 10-3-1 over their last 14. The Ravens, who entered the day winners of 16 of their last 19, drop to 28-13-1, 9-4-1 NE-10 NE.
The Hawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning against Franklin Pierce starter Ryan Thompson. Following back-to-back walks to sophomore Tito Lluberes (Lawrence, Mass.) and junior Richie Manzi (Plymouth, N.H.) to begin the inning, Kelly lined a single to right-center to plate Lluberes and give the Hawks a 1-0 lead.
After consecutive strikeouts and a walk to freshman Mike Hayden (Cranston, R.I.), sophomore Nate Gonya (Wolfeboro, N.H.) grounded a ball to short that was misplayed and allowed Manzi to score. Kelly then came around to score when senior Jeffrey Criscuolo (Durham, Conn.) followed with a groundball into the hole at short that was not handled.
Saint Anselm added to its lead with two more runs in the second. Manzi singled with one out and then was erased when Kelly reached on a fielder's choice groundout to short. Senior Dan DeCoste (Chelmsford, Mass.) then singled through the left side to put runners at the corners. Sophomore Dan Lagasse (Londonderry, N.H.) followed with a single to right-center that plated Kelly and gave the Hawks a four-run lead. Hayden then chopped a ball through the hole at short to score DeCoste and open the lead to 5-0.
The Ravens got on the board in the third when Dan Kemp homered to right-center off Hesek. The run snapped Hesek's consecutive scoreless innings streak at 14-plus.
The Hawks answered the run in the bottom of the frame when Criscuolo reached on an infield single, moved to second on a groundout by junior Andrew Chandler (Westford, Mass.) and scored on Lluberes' single back up the middle to make it 6-1.
The Hawks expanded their lead to 7-1 in the fifth when Chandler drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on Kelly's RBI single to center.
Franklin Pierce grabbed a pair back in the sixth when Zach Mathieu reached on an error to lead off the inning before Nick Lacroix homered to center to make it 7-3.
Saint Anselm broke it open when they sent 13 to the plate and hung a seven-spot in the seventh. Lluberes led off the frame with a single to left and moved to second on Manzi's bloop single to right. Kelly drove in another run with a single to left-center that scored Lluberes before DeCoste singled to center to load the bases. Manzi then crossed the plate when Lagasse was hit by a pitch.
After the Ravens recorded the first out of the inning, Gonya was hit by a pitch to score Kelly to make it 10-3. Criscuolo followed with a two-run double to right that brought in DeCoste and Lagasse. Chandler then beat out a ground ball to score Gonya to make it a 10-run game. After Lluberes walked, Manzi singled to right to bring in Criscuolo and the Hawks led, 14-3.
The Ravens tacked on one in the ninth when Dan Carroll walked, went to third on Chris Berry's double to left-center and scored on a Ross Lincoln ground out to third.
Hesek (4-4) went seven innings, allowing three runs – two earned – on six hits, while striking out seven and walking three. Junior William O'Connor (Worcester, Mass.) used just nine pitches to record a 1-2-3 eighth and senior Joe Latino (Holden, Mass.) worked the ninth, giving up a run on one hit and a walk, while striking out a pair.
Thompson worked the first three innings, relinquishing six runs – four earned – on seven hits and four walks, to go along with three strikeouts.
Kelly was 3-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored, while Lagasse and Criscuolo were each 2-for-5 with two RBI. Manzi was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, and Lluberes was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a pair of runs. DeCoste was 2-for-6 with a pair of runs, while Hayden was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
The Hawks return to action Thursday, April 26 at 3:30 p.m. when they wrap up their season series with Southern New Hampshire University at Sullivan Park.
