WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Six different batters drove in a run, starting pitching only allowed five earned runs and the bullpen threw up 4.2 scoreless frames as the Saint Anselm College baseball team earned a pair of wins Wednesday at Rollins College's Alfond Stadium. The Hawks edged Assumption College, 5-4, in game one and then downed Rollins, 5-2, in the second game.
The Hawks improve to 2-7, while the Greyhounds fall to 2-7 and the Tars drop to 9-9.
Assumption jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning of game one against sophomore starter John Lavoie (Medford, Mass.) as doubles by Tom Paine and Greg O'Donnell produced the game's first run.
The Hawks answered back in a big way as they hung a four-spot in the bottom of the third. Junior Ken Morrisino (E. Longmeadow, Mass.) led things off with a triple to right and then immediately scored on an RBI groundout from freshman Max Wadington (Burlington, Conn.) to tie the game. Saint Anselm kept it going, however, as a single up the middle from senior Mike Hayden (Cranston, R.I.) proceeded classmate Joe Morin (Salem, N.H.) being hit by a pitch to put two on with one out.
Sophomore Nick Bragole (Newburyport, Mass.) came through with a single to left that put Saint Anselm on top and then a sacrifice fly from freshman John Marculitis (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and a base hit to right by junior Allan McQuarrie (Salem, N.H.) stretched the lead to 4-1.
Assumption tied it in the top of the fourth as it pushed across three runs on RBI singles from Mike Coggeshall and Andrew Jaehnig, as well as a two-out to triple to right from Kelvin Sims.
Saint Anselm napped the 4-4 tie in the seventh as Marculitis led off with a single to left, moved to second on McQuarrie's sac bunt, advanced to third on a groundout by freshman Shaine Carpenter (Florham Park, N.J.) and scored when sophomore Matthew Flynn (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) reached on an error.
The Hawks then received some solid work from their bullpen. Freshman Adam Krol (Sunderland, Mass.) worked 1.1 shutout innings for his first collegiate win, allowing four hits and striking out one, while receiving some help from junior Seve Llanio (Glen Arm, Md.), who induced inning-ending double plays in both the eighth and ninth innings. Llanio earned his first save with 1.2 shutout frames, giving up a hit and a walk. Lavoie pitched well enough to get the Hawks the W as he was charged with four runs on eight hits, while striking out three in 6.0 innings.
Bragole went 4-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, while Morin was 2-for-3 with a run and a walk. Morrisino was 2-for-5 with a run scored, with Marculitis (RBI, run) and McQuarrie (RBI, walk) each going 1-for-2.
The game with Rollins was scoreless into the fourth inning when the Hawks quickly loaded the bases, but then struck out twice. Carpenter then reached on an error that brought two runs home and sophomore Jon McQuarrie (Salem, N.H.) followed with an infield single that made it 3-0.
The Hawks extended their lead to 5-0 in the seventh when Hayden delivered an RBI groundout and Wadington stole home with two outs. Rollins would finally get on the board in the eighth on Bryan Perlmutter's two-run single, but would leave one on in the eighth and then go 1-2-3 in the ninth.
Sophomore Joseph Levasseur (Rowley, Mass.) picked up his first career win as he went 7.1 innings, allowing just two runs – one earned – on six hits, while striking out two and not walking a batter. Junior Tyler Buck (Franklin, Mass.) worked 0.2 innings and gave up two hits. Classmate Tom Hudon (Merrimack, N.H.) hurled a perfect ninth for the save as he fanned a pair.
Jon McQuarrie was 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Hayden went 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Morin was 1-for-3 with a run, with Marculitis and Wadington (walk, two runs) each going 1-for-4.
The Hawks return to action Thursday, March 5 at 11 a.m. when they take on the College of Saint Rose at Alfond. 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.
