EASTON, Mass. – The Saint Anselm College baseball team was saddled with a 10-9 loss by Stonehill College on Saturday in a non-league fixture played at Lou Gorman Field.

Saint Anselm falls to 3-2 overall on the season while Stonehill, playing in its season opener, move to 1-0. The Hawks scored eight runs in the top of the ninth inning to take a 9-8 lead, but a walk-off, two-run, two-out double by Stonehill carried the hosts to victory.

The Hawks entered the ninth inning down by an 8-1 margin, but pushed across eight runs with the help of five hits, there walks and two hit-by-pitches. Junior Kyle Maurice (Exeter, N.H.), the reigning Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Week, slugged a solo shot to lead off the inning before Stonehill struck two batters with the bases loaded.

Down 8-4 at that point, the Hawks drew two walks to cut the Stonehill lead to 8-6. The biggest hit of the game came off the bat of senior Salvatore Pezzolla (East Greenbush, N.Y.), whose two-out, two-run single to center field brought the game even, 8-8. Sophomore Mike Borrelli (Salisbury, Mass.) followed with a single of his own, pushing home the go-ahead run.

Saint Anselm struck out the first batter of the bottom of the ninth inning, but back-to-back walks followed. After inducing a flyout to right field for the inning's second out, Blaine Lidsky, who entered the game as a defensive replacement, came through in the clutch with a two-RBI double to right field that scored both baserunners to end the game.

Just two batters into the game, Saint Anselm took a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Brady Doran (Stony Brook, N.Y.) walked and was promptly driven in by the reigning NE10 Rookie of the Week, Zack Clough (Newbury, Mass.). Stonehill tied the game in the bottom of the third, using an RBI single up the middle by lead-off man Conor Kiely with one out in the inning.

Stonehill moved ahead, 4-1, in the home half of the sixth inning as two errors and two hits led to three runs coming home. The Skyhawks scored their fifth run on a passed ball in the bottom of the seventh and later added two more scores with a solo shot and back-to-back RBI triples in the bottom of the eighth.

Senior Will Conaton (Windham, N.H.) earned the start, conceding three earned runs through six innings of work. He struck out eight batters for the second consecutive start and was relieved by classmate Ryan Schworer (Medfield, Mass.). He lasted two innings, giving up three earned runs with five hits allowed. Sophomore Avery Mosseau (Bedford, N.H.) drew the loss, yielding two earned runs while striking out one.

Junior outfielder Mike Pierro (North Andover, Mass.) led Saint Anselm with three hits, the second three-hit performance in his career.

Stonehill starter Luke Marshall pitched seven strong innings, allowing just three hits while fanning six batters. Matt Tyman fired a scoreless inning of relief, while Michael White and Edward Beauregard allowed eight runs in the final inning, issuing three free passes and five hits combined.

Saint Anselm will take on Assumption next Saturday, Mar. 27 at a venue to be determined. The Hawks and Greyhounds will play a four-game series over the weekend.