March 23, 2013

Collacchi lifts No. 1 Salisbury to doubleheader split at St. Mary’s

More news about: Salisbury

ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. – Sophomore right-hander Brett Collacchi pitched his second complete game of the season, scattering seven hits and one run over seven innings, to help the top-ranked Salisbury University baseball team salvage a doubleheader split with St. Mary's (Md.) College, winning the second game, 2-1, on Saturday.

Collacchi struck out six and walked none as the Sea Gulls (15-3, 4-1 CAC) rebounded from a 4-3 loss in the opener that stopped their eight-game winning streak.

Junior second baseman Johnny Schiotis gave SU the lead for good with two out in the top of the fourth inning of the second game with a double to left-center field, scoring classmate Ken O'Neill from second to make it 2-1.

Schiotis, center fielder Bill Root and left fielder Nick Gentry each collected two hits to lead the Sea Gulls' nine-hit attack. 

Gentry hit his team-leading second triple of the season to the gap in right-center field with one out in the top of the third and junior Quinn Griffith scored him with a groundball to second base for a 1-0 SU lead. St. Mary's (8-14, 1-4 CAC), however, responded in its half of the frame to tie the game.

Brad Dioguardo singled to center with one out and, with Jared Eaker batting, moved to second on a wild pitch. Eaker followed with a single to left field to plate Dioguardo.

Schiotis, though, put Salisbury back in front in the fourth after O'Neill singled center and advanced to second on a throw.

Collacchi kept the Seahawks off the scoreboard the rest of the way, fanning four over the last four innings, including the game's final two hitters, to ensure the win.

Wick Eisenberg also went the distance, but took the loss, allowing two earned runs.

Matt Holdefer had a pinch-hit, walk-off infield single with two out in the bottom of the ninth of the opener to win it for St. Mary's. Trailing, 2-1, heading into the bottom of seventh and final scheduled half inning, the Seahawks used a two-out RBI double from Luke Green to knot the game, 2-2, and force extra innings. Root led off the eighth with a home run to left field to retake the lead. The homer was the fourth of his career and first since April 16, 2011 against Frostburg State University.

SMC battled back in its half of the eighth to tie again when Stefano Muscatelli singled home Corey Napier with two out.

Kyle Hayman walked and was sacrificed to second in the top of the ninth, but Schiotis couldn't get him home and it stayed 3-3 going to the bottom of the ninth.

Danny Druzgala issued a leadoff walk to Green and Dioguardo laid down a bunt single. With two out and runners on first and third, Holdefer beat out a roller to shortstop for the win.

Sam Coe earned the victory on the mound with two innings of one-hit, one-run relief. Druzgala took the loss allowing four hits and a run.

Salisbury took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single by Griffith in the first after Root singled to left and stole second. Root's steal, the 59th of his career, moved him into sole possession of third place among the all-time leaders at SU.

Napier singled Paul Roemer in the third, before Gentry scored an unearned run in the sixth for a 2-1 lead.

Root was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a homer and stolen base for the Sea Gulls in the opener. Dioguardo finished with a team-high three hits in eight at-bats in the doubleheader for the Seahawks.

The teams close the series with the rubber game on Sunday at 1 p.m.