York, Pa. (May 16, 2015) – Fourth-seeded Salisbury University (33-4-1) scored six runs in the fifth inning on its way to a 12-2 win over Alvernia University (35-14) Saturday afternoon in the championship game of the NCAA Division III Baseball Mid-Atlantic Regional at Santander Stadium.
Salisbury advanced to the Division III College World Series starting next Friday at Appleton, Wisc.
The Gulls opened the scoring with a run in the first. Kyle Hayman walked on four pitches to start the inning, and Pete Grasso singled through the left side. Jordan Growe drew a walk to load the bases, and Alvernia went to the pen early for
Ryan Sheekey.
Sheekey got a popup for the first out of the inning before Danny Breen hit a grounder to third to drive in a run. Sheekey induced a fly ball to right to end the inning.
The Gulls put together three hits and took advantage of an Alvernia error in the second to push across three runs to take a 4-0 lead. Kyle Goodwin reached on an error that allowed the first run to score, Grasso hit a sacrifice fly to left, and Gowe grounded out to second for the third run of the inning.
Alvernia answered with a run in the top of the third. The Crusaders started with three straight singles to load the bases.
Brok Martin pulled one through the left side,
Vinny Case hit one in the hole on the right side, and
Richie Ricciardi dropped down a bunt to load the bases.
Joe Iacobellis lined out to left for a sacrifice fly and Sawyer flied out to center. The runners moved up to second and third on a wild pitch and Burns ripped a ball up the middle that Grasso made a leaping play on at short saving two runs.
Lightning moved in as the teams changed between innings and the umps called for a delay that lasted two and a half hours.
When the teams returned, both went in order in their next at bats. Goodwin doubled to left center just out of the reach of Iacobellis on the run. He moved up on an obstruction call at second and scored on a wild pitch.
The Gulls pounded out six hits in the fifth including a 2-run homer from tournament MVP Tyler Hrycak.
Salisbury added a run in the sixth for the 12-2 final.
Ricciardi went 3-for-5 at the top of the Alvernia lineup. Sheekey went five innings and took the loss. Kyle Hamby pitched 4.2 innings in relief for the Gulls to earn the win.
All-Tournament TeamKyle Hartman (PSU-Berks)
Ryan Dorosh (Misericordia)
Ryan Reitmyer (Kean)
Mitch Weaver (Johns Hopkins)
Matt Backlund (Alvernia)
Kevin Short (Alvernia)
Ben Sawyer (Alvernia)
Brett Collacchi (Salisbury)
Kyle Goodwin (Salisbury)
Danny Breen (Salisbury)
Tyler Hrycak (Salisbury)
MVP - Pete Grasso (Salisbury)
#4 Salisbury 12, #2 Alvernia 2
