EASTON, Mass. – Senior Tom Hudon (Merrimack, N.H.) did not allow an earned run over 8.0 innings, but was the tough-luck loser on the backend of a doubleheader Saturday as the Saint Anselm College baseball team was swept by Stonehill College at Lou Gorman Field. Stonehill posted a 12-1 victory in game one before eking out a 2-0 win in the second game.
The Hawks drop to 10-19 overall, including 7-9 in Northeast-10 play and 4-9 in the Northeast Division, while the Skyhawks better their record to 22-9-1, 10-5 NE-10, 9-4 NE-10 NE.
Saint Anselm fell behind, 1-0, in the first inning of game two when one of their four errors in the contest hurt them. With two outs and a Stonehill runner, who had reached on an error, on second, Dan Fratus drove a single back up the middle to plate the unearned run.
Stonehill doubled its lead in similar fashion in the second as Eric Schneider reached on an infield single, but went to second on a throwing error on the play, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and then scored on a groundout before the following batter flied out to end the frame.
The Hawks never really threatened until the eighth inning when they had runners on first and second with two outs, but struck out to end the inning. They put a pair in scoring position in the ninth, but could not score either runner. Junior Ken Morrisino (E. Longmeadow, Mass.) drew a leadoff walk and went to second on a single by senior Mike Hayden (Cranston, R.I.) and then both runners moved up on a groundout to the right side by senior Joe Morin (Salem, N.H.), but the game ended out a strike out, leaving the potential tying run stranded.
Hudon (3-5, 3.05 ERA) went the distance, allowing two runs – both unearned – on seven hits, while striking out four and walking none. Hudon is 3-2 with a 1.43 ERA in 37.2 innings over his last five outings, which include three complete games. He has a 42/10 K-to-BB ratio during that stretch.
Freshman John Marculitis (Shrewsbury, Mass.) was 2-for-3, while Hayden and freshman Shaine Carpenter (Florham Park, N.J.) were each 1-for-4.
Stonehill starter Michael Young tossed 7.2 shutout innings, allowing just three hits, striking out eight and walking only one.
In the first game, Saint Anselm jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Hayden stroked a two-out double to left and then scored on Morin's base hit up the middle.
That would be the Hawks' only lead of the day, however, as Stonehill put up a four-run third inning that was highlighted by Brian Hocking's three-run jack to left off senior starter Dave Kent (N. Falmouth, Mass.).
The Skyhawks made it 5-1 in the fourth on Chris Hoyt's sac fly to center and then broke it open with seven unearned runs in the fifth as they took advantage of a pair of errors and a passed ball in the inning. The big blow came off the bat of Brian Campbell, who belted a grand slam to left that made it 12-1.
Saint Anselm left a pair on in the ninth, but never really threatened other than that.
Kent (1-5) was charged with nine runs – five earned – on 10 hits, while striking out eight and walking two in 4.1 innings. Sophomore John Lavoie (Medford, Mass.) allowed three runs – all unearned – on two hits, striking out one and walking two in 1.2 innings. Freshman Andy Williams (Merrimack, N.H.) tossed 2.0 shutout innings, relinquishing just two hits, while striking out one.
Morin was 2-for-4 with the RBI, while Hayden (run) and sophomores Nick Bragole (Newburyport, Mass.), Jon McQuarrie (Salem, N.H.) and Matthew Flynn (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) all went 1-for-3.
Jeremy Roberts started for the Skyhawks and allowed one run on five hits, fanning seven and walking two over 7.0 innings.
The Hawks return to action Sunday, April 19 at 1 p.m. when they wrap up their series at Stonehill. 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.
