MANCHESTER, N.H. – Seniors Robert Kelly (Aurora, Colo.) and Richie Manzi (Plymouth, N.H.) went a combined 8-for-9 and knocked in three runs, but the Saint Anselm College baseball team dropped an 11-7 decision to Bentley University on Monday afternoon at Sullivan Park in the continuation of a game that was halted April 1 at Bentley with Saint Anselm leading 5-2 after four innings.
The Hawks drop to 18-27-1 on the season, including 13-15 in Northeast-10 play and 7-13 in the Northeast Division. The Falcons improve to 26-16, 18-8 NE-10, 13-4 NE-10 NE.
Back on April 1, the Hawks had taken a 1-0 lead when Manzi opened the bottom of the first with a single to right and then came around to score on Kelly's double to right-center. After Nate Witkowski smacked a two-run double to left against freshman starter Tom Hudon (Merrimack, N.H.) in the second, the Hawks hung a four-spot in the fourth.
Following two strikeouts to begin the inning, the Hawks put runners on the corners for Manzi, who drove a single through the right side to tie the game at two. Junior Dan Lagasse (Londonderry, N.H.) then tripled to left-center to bring in a pair of runs and later scored on a wild pitch that made it 5-2.
With Hudon working seven innings at Stonehill on Sunday, senior William O'Connor (Worcester, Mass.) took the hill Monday and threw a scoreless fifth, but was hit around for five runs in the sixth that gave Bentley a 7-5 lead. The Falcons then touched up freshman Clayton Welch (Manchester, N.H.) for four runs in the seventh that opened it up to 11-5.
The Hawks grabbed two back in the ninth when Kelly hit a two-out homer to right and sophomore Mike Hayden (Cranston, R.I.) singled to left and scored on a double to center by sophomore Joe Morin (Salem, N.H.).
Hudon officially went 4.0 innings and allowed two runs on four hits, while striking out three and walking one. O'Connor (1-1) was charged with five runs on six hits, striking out two and walking a pair in 2.0 innings. Welch relinquished four runs – three earned – on four hits and also struck out a batter in 1.0 inning. Freshman Terrence Walsh (Milton, Mass.) tossed two perfect innings and fanned a pair.
Kelly was 4-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, while Manzi went 4-for-5 with an RBI and a pair of runs.
The Hawks wrap up their season Tuesday, April 30 at 3:30 p.m. when they play host to Franklin Pierce University at Sullivan Park. 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.
