MANCHESTER, N.H. – Senior Mike Hayden (Cranston, R.I.) drove in three runs, but the Saint Anselm College baseball team fell to 20th-ranked Southern New Hampshire University, 10-5, Tuesday evening at Penmen Field.
The Hawks sink to 10-21 on the season, including 7-11 in Northeast-10 play and 4-11 in the Northeast Division. The Penmen improve to 25-7, 11-2 NE-10, 11-2 NE-10 NE.
Southern New Hampshire moved out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first against sophomore starter Autrey Gates (Pembroke, N.H.) on Mike Montville's RBI single through the right side.
Saint Anselm went ahead with a three-run third as junior Ken Morrisino (E. Longmeadow, Mass.) led off with a single to left and senior Joe Morin (Salem, N.H.) walked before Hayden doubled down the left field line to plate both runners. After freshman John Marculitis (Shrewsbury, Mass.) moved Hayden to third with a sacrifice bunt, freshman Shaine Carpenter (Florham Park, N.J.) knocked in the run with a two-out base hit to right that made it 3-1.
Montville's second RBI single of the day trimmed the Southern New Hampshire deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the inning before it hung a three-spot in the fifth to go on top for good. The Penmen loaded the bases with no outs before Alejandro Diaz tied the game with a sac fly to center and Derek Bauer followed with a two-run double to right that gave SNHU a 5-3 edge.
Carson Helms made it 6-3 in the sixth with an infield single that plated Manny Cruz, who began the two-out rally with a triple to right-center.
The Hawks loaded the bases with no one out in the seventh, but a strikeout, an RBI groundout from Hayden and an inning-ending grounder allowed the Penmen to limit the damage and hold a 6-4 lead.
Sac flies by Lorenzo Papa and Tyler Fortanascio, as well as an RBI single to right from Zach Goldstein, pushed the Southern New Hampshire lead to 9-4 in the bottom of the seventh. Diaz' run-scoring double to right-center gave SNHU an even 10 runs in the eighth before freshman Max Wadington (Burlington, Conn.) drew a leadoff walk in the ninth, stole second and scored on Morin's RBI single through the right side. The Hawks had runners at second and third with one out, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the game.
Gates (0-3) was charged with five runs on six hits and six walks, while striking out three over 4.1 innings. Freshman Andy Williams (Merrimack, N.H.) was touched up for four runs on four hits and two walks in 2.2 innings. Sophomore Cameron Latta (Lowell, Mass.) tossed 1.0 inning and allowed a run on one hit, striking out two and walking one.
Morrisino (two walks, run), Morin (two walks, RBI, run) and Carpenter (RBI) all went 1-for-3, while Hayden was 1-for-5 with a run and three RBI.
The Hawks return to action Wednesday, April 22 at 2 p.m. when they take on Saint Michael's College. The teams will resume the halted April 8 game that was suspended due to snow with the score 0-0 at the end of five and will then play the regularly-scheduled contest. 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.
