MANCHESTER, N.H. – Junior Robert Kelly (Aurora, Colo.) hit a pair of home runs and senior John Healy (Cranston, R.I.) rung up yet another quality start to lead the Saint Anselm College baseball team to an 11-1 win against Stonehill College on Sunday afternoon in its regular-season home finale at Sullivan Park.
The Hawks, who wrap up their home slate at 10-6-1, improve to 25-21-2 on the season, including 13-6-1 in Northeast-10 Northeast Division play, while the Skyhawks drop to 26-18, 9-8 NE-10 NE.
The Hawks jumped on Stonehill starter Eric Haughn with three runs in the first inning. Sophomore Tito Lluberes (Lawrence, Mass.) started it when he was hit by a pitch, but was erased at second on a fielder's choice groundout by junior Richie Manzi (Plymouth, N.H.). After Kelly walked and senior Daniel DeCoste (Chelmsford, Mass.) flied out, sophomore Dan Lagasse (Londonderry, N.H.) singled to center to drive in Manzi.
Freshman Mike Hayden (Cranston, R.I.) followed with a double to left that scored Kelly and Lagasse, who beat the play at the plate and slid under the tag to make it 3-0.
Lagasse was involved in another play at the plate in next half inning. After Healy recorded two quick outs, Steven Popp followed with a single and moved to second on a passed ball. Popp was then waved home on a single to shallow left by Michael Magnussen, but Lagasse threw a one-hopper to the plate that reached sophomore catcher Nate Gonya (Wolfeboro, N.H.) in plenty of time to apply the tag for the final out of the inning.
The Hawks stretched their lead with a five-spot in the bottom of the second. Senior Jeffrey Criscuolo (Durham, Conn.) led off with a single to right-center and then stole second when Haughn attempted to pick him off after junior Andrew Chandler (Westford, Mass.) flew out to left. Lluberes followed with a triple to deep right-center that brought in Criscuolo to make it 4-0. Manzi followed by plating Lluberes with a single up the middle through a drawn in infield.
Kelly made it 7-0 and finished Haughn's day when he crushed a two-run homer down the right field line. DeCoste followed with the Hawks' fourth straight hit when he doubled down the left field line against reliever Ryan Rougeot. After Lagasse flew out to right-center, Hayden singled to left to bring home DeCoste and Saint Anselm led 8-0.
Stonehill pushed one across against Healy in the seventh. Billy Karalis reached on an error to lead off the inning, went to third on a double to left by Popp and scored on Magnussen's infield single to second.
Sophomore Matt Lessard (Hooksett, N.H.) worked a scoreless eighth, striking out Popp to end the inning with runners at second and third.
Kelly broke the game wide open in the eighth when he swatted a three-run homer to right that scored Chandler, who singled to left, and Manzi, who singled to right-center, and made it 11-1.
Healy (7-1) went seven innings, allowing one run – zero earned – on five hits, while striking out six and walking one. Lessard tossed one inning, giving up a pair of hits and striking out two. Freshman Ryan Cosmopulos (Seekonk, Mass.) tossed a scoreless ninth, as he allowed a hit and struck out a batter.
Kelly went 2-for-3 with two walks, a pair of home runs, five RBI and three runs scored. Hayden was 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Chandler was also 2-for-4 and scored a run. Manzi was 2-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored, and DeCoste was 2-for-5 and scored a run.
The Hawks return to action Tuesday, May 1 at 3:30 p.m. when they wrap up their regular season at Franklin Pierce University and then will wait to learn their playoff fate.
