WORCESTER, Mass. – Sophomore Nick Bragole (Newburyport, Mass.) and freshman John Marculitis (Shrewsbury, Mass.) each knocked in two runs and sophomore Joseph Levasseur (Rowley, Mass.) allowed just two earned runs in 7.2 innings as the Saint Anselm College baseball team posted an 8-5 victory against Assumption College on Wednesday afternoon at Rocheleau Field.
The Hawks, who were coming off a tough loss at Franklin Pierce on Tuesday night, improve to 10-16 on the season, including 7-6 in Northeast-10 play and 4-6 in the Northeast Division. The Greyhounds sink to 8-18, 4-7 NE-10, 4-5 NE-10 NE.
Assumption grabbed an early 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and second inning on an RBI double to right-center from Greg O'Donnell and a run-scoring single to right from Michael Panza, respectively.
The game stayed that way until the top of the fifth inning when Saint Anselm erupted for six runs. After the inning began with a groundout, singles from freshman Max Wadington (Burlington, Conn.) and sophomore Matthew Flynn (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.), as well as a walk from junior Ken Morrisino (E. Longmeadow, Mass.), loaded the bases. Freshman Shaine Carpenter (Florham Park, N.J.) drew a walk to push across the first run before senior Mike Hayden (Cranston, R.I.) tied the game with a sacrifice fly to left.
The Hawks were not done, however, despite having two outs. An RBI single to left by senior Joe Morin (Salem, N.H.), a two-run double down the right field line by Bragole and a run-scoring double to left by Marculitis opened up a 6-2 lead for the visitors.
Assumption trimmed the deficit to three in the eighth, but Saint Anselm would push two more across in the ninth on a Marculitis sac fly to right and an RBI single up the middle from Wadington. The Greyhounds would get those two back in the bottom of the stanza, but would leave the tying run at the plate as sophomore Cameron Latta (Lowell, Mass.) entered for junior Seve Llanio (Glen Arm, Md.) and recorded a punch-out to end the game.
Carpenter was 1-for-2 with three walks, an RBI and a run scored, while Hayden was also 1-for-2, walked twice, drove in a run and scored another. Wadington went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run. Marculitis was 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBI. Bragole (walk, two RBI, run), Morin (walk, RBI, run) and Flynn (run) were all 1-for-4.
Levasseur (2-1) was charged with three runs – two earned – on nine hits, while striking out five and walking two. Llanio gave up two runs on three hits, striking out a pair and issuing a walk. Latta struck out the only batter he faced for his first save of the season.
The Hawks return to action Thursday, April 16 at 6 p.m. when they take on crosstown rival Southern New Hampshire University. The next home game for the Hawks is Friday, April 24 at 3:30 p.m. when they play host to Bentley 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.
