EASTON, Mass. – Sophomore Joe Morin (Salem, N.H.) drove in a career-high four runs as the Saint Anselm College baseball team posted a 13-6 victory in 10 innings in the first game of a doubleheader against Stonehill College on Saturday afternoon at Lou Gorman Field. The Hawks were blanked, 2-0, in game two.
The Hawks move to 17-26-1 on the season, including 12-14 in Northeast-10 play and 6-12 within the Northeast Division. The Skyhawks are now 21-19, 9-13 NE-10, 7-9 NE-10 NE.
Saint Anselm jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of game one as Morin cleared the bases with a three-run double to the left-center field gap. The Hawks added to their lead in the fourth when freshman Ken Morrisino (East Longmeadow, Mass.) reached on a two-out single to left, stole second and scored when senior Richie Manzi (Plymouth, N.H.) knocked him in with a single to center.
Stonehill tied it in the bottom of the frame, however, as they sent eight to the plate against sophomore starter Dave Kent (North Falmouth, Mass.). The Hawks then went ahead, 5-4, in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by senior Rett Ostafin (Port St. Lucie, Fla.), but the Skyhawks knotted things again in the sixth.
In the seventh, senior Robert Kelly (Aurora, Colo.) was hit by a pitch, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sac fly by sophomore Mike Hayden (Cranston, R.I.). Stonehill answered again in the bottom of the inning to even things at 6-all.
The game stayed that way until the top of the 10th when the Hawks exploded for seven runs as they sent 11 batters to the dish. With one out and the bases loaded, junior Tito Lluberes (Lawrence, Mass.) came through with a two-run single to left that snapped the deadlock. Following Stonehill's second error of the inning, Manzi's bases-loaded single to right padded the Saint Anselm lead at 9-6.
Kelly's fielder's choice pushed across the 10th run before Morrisino, who reached on the error before Manzi's hit, scored on a passed ball to open the lead to five. Hayden picked up his league-leading 45th RBI on a groundout and Morin doubled home Kelly to bring the score to 13-6.
Stonehill put a pair on with back-to-back two-out singles in the bottom of the inning, but never seriously threatened.
Kent worked the first 5.0 innings and allowed four runs on six hits, while striking out six and walking just one. Freshman Paul Trabucco (Salem, N.H.) earned the win to improve to 2-1 by giving up two runs on seven hits, striking out two and walking one in 5.0 innings.
Morin was 3-for-6 with four RBI and a run scored. Ostafin was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Manzi (2 RBI, R) and Morrisino (3 R) were both 2-for-6.
In the second game, Stonehill posted two runs in the third on a bases-loaded walk and an error. Saint Anselm banged out six hits, but left nine for the game.
The Hawks wasted another solid start from junior Zachary Brian (Stoneham, Mass.), who fell to 3-2 despite allowing just two runs – one earned – on nine hits and a walk over 8.0 innings. It was Brian's fifth straight start of at least six innings in which he gave up three runs or less.
Manzi went 2-for-3, while Ostafin turned in a 1-for-3 performance. Kelly, Morin and sophomore Zach Husband (Bedford, N.H.) were all 1-for-4.
The Hawks return to action Sunday, April 28 at 1 p.m. when they close out the series at Stonehill. The next home game for the Hawks is Monday, April 29 at 3:30 p.m. when they play host to Bentley University in the resumption of an April 1 game that was halted due to the weather. Saint Anselm leads 5-2 at the start of the fifth. Stay up-to-date with the latest news, including game previews and recaps, directly from the Saint Anselm College athletic department by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter @STAHawks.
