HAVERHILL, Mass. – Junior Ken Morrisino (E. Longmeadow, Mass.) came through with a two-out, two-run single to left to finish off a three-run ninth that powered the Saint Anselm College baseball team to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory against American International College on a frigid Sunday afternoon at Trinity Stadium.
The Hawks improve to 4-10 on the season, including 1-0 in Northeast-10 play, while the Yellow Jackets dip to 3-7, 0-1 NE-10.
Trailing 4-2 in the ninth inning of a game in which temps hovered in the mid-20s and the wind chill sank into the low-teens, the Hawks began the rally with a one-out walk from freshman John Marculitis (Shrewsbury, Mass.). Sophomore Jon McQuarrie (Salem, N.H.) took Marculitis' spot when he hit into a fielder's choice and then moved to second on an infield single by freshman Shaine Carpenter (Florham Park, N.J.). McQuarrie then advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a base hit to right from fellow sophomore Matthew Flynn (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) that made it 4-3.
Both runners moved into scoring position following another wild pitch and then scored when Morrisino dropped a broken-bat single into left to put the Hawks on top for the first time, 5-4. Morrisino would steal second, but Derek Azzopardi, who took over at the beginning of the frame looking to close out Saint Anselm, ended the inning with a strikeout.
Junior Tyler Buck (Franklin, Mass.), who tossed a scoreless eighth, picked up the win after nailing down a 1-2-3 ninth.
Saint Anselm fell behind, 1-0, in the bottom of the first when a pair of infield singles, a passed ball and hit batsmen loaded the bases with no one out. Senior starter Dave Kent (N. Falmouth, Mass.) recorded the first out on a pop out to third, but then walked Chris Starcun to push home a run. Kent eventually found his grip on the ball in the finger-numbing cold and struck out the last two batters to get out of the bases-loaded jam.
The Hawks tied it in the second when senior Joe Morin (Salem, N.H.) reached on a throwing error by the shortstop, went to second on the overthrow and scored on Marculitis' single up the middle.
The Yellow Jackets buzzed ahead in the second when Brett Bohl led off the frame with a walk, went to second on a sacrifice bunt, moved to third on a fly out to center and scored on Tyler Geffert's single up the middle.
AIC added two more in the fourth as Geffert's triple to left-center plated Dave Clark, who doubled in the at-bat right before, and then Lucas Vallas scored Geffert with a double down the left-field line that looked to be wide of the bag at third, but was called fair.
Saint Anselm sliced into the three-run deficit in the seventh as Carpenter drove a ball into the left-center field gap and kept on running until he reached home for an inside-the-park home run that pulled the Hawks within 4-2.
Buck (2-1) tossed 2.0 shutout innings, allowing one hit and walking one. Kent worked the first 3.1 innings, allowing four runs on five hits, while walking four and fanning three. Sophomore Joseph Levasseur (Rowley, Mass.) came up with a big relief appearance out of the bullpen, pitching 3.2 shutout innings, giving up three hits, while striking out six and walking three.
Carpenter (home run, RBI, two runs) and Flynn (RBI, run) were each 2-for-4, while Marculitis (RBI, BB) was 1-for-3. Senior Mike Hayden (Cranston, R.I.) was 1-for-4 and Morrisino, whose first hit was the game-winner in the ninth, finished 1-for-5 with two RBI.
Harrison Paige worked the first 6.0 innings for AIC and was charged with one run – unearned –on two hits, while striking out six and not walking a batter.
The Hawks' game against Saint Michael's College, scheduled for Monday, March 23 (3 p.m.) at Franklin Pierce University's Pappas Field, has been postponed. The Hawks return to action Thursday, March 26 at 3:30 p.m. when they travel to take on Post University. 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.
