York, Pa. (May 15, 2015) – Fourth-seeded Salisbury University (32-4-1) put together a pair of big innings on its way to a 13-3 win over #2 Alvernia University (33-13) Friday evening in the winners bracket final of the NCAA Division III Baseball Mid-Atlantic Regional at Santander Stadium.
The Crusaders drop to the losers bracket final and will face the winner of the game between Johns Hopkins and Misericordia on Saturday at noon. Salisbury advances to the Championship Series which starts with the first game Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
The Seagulls scored three runs in the fifth and added four in the sixth to take an 8-3 lead after six.
Alvernia starter
Antonio Baglivo worked around a pair of singles in the first inning, getting a fly ball to right from Danny Breen to end the inning.
Senior
Richie Ricciardi singled to left to open the home half of the first and moved up on a sacrifice bunt.
Ben Sawyer drew a walk to put two on with one out, but
Chris Burns fouled out to the catcher and
Zach Nadolny struck out to end the inning.
After a scoreless second, the Seagulls cashed in on a pair of walks in the third when Bobby Sanzone singled to right to drive in Pete Grasso. Baglivo stranded two more when Bruns made a nice play on a foul pop up.
The Gulls expanded on the lead with three runs in the top of the fifth. Kyle Goodwin reached on a bunt single and moved to third on a pair of wild pitches. He scored when Grasso reached on an error, and Grasso stole second and scored on a Jordan Gowe single.
Alvernia went to the pen for junior lefty
Louis Marotta, and Gowe stole second and scored on a single by Breen.
Alvernia matched the number with three in the bottom of the fifth. Salisbury intentially walked Sawyer to load the bases and Burns ripped a 2-run double into the left field corner. Nadolny singled in Sawyer and the Crusaders were within a run at 4-3, but Salisbury pushed across four in the top of the sixth on four hits and an error.
The Gulls added two more runs in the top of the seventh and scored three in the ninth.
Ryan Daiss went 4.2 innings for the Gulls and surrendered three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts. Jeff Oster picked up the win in relief going 4.1 innings and allowing just two hits.
Baglivo took the loss going 4.1 innings allowing four runs—two earned—on seven hits with two strikeouts. Ricciardi, Nadolny, and
Vinny Case had two hits apiece.
#4 Salisbury 13, #2 Alvernia 3