SEAHAWK BASEBALL RESULTS
Salve Regina 16, UMass Dartmouth 5
Newport, R.I. - Reynolds Field
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
NEWPORT, R.I. - Hunter Sleeper (Arlington, Mass.) and Tristan Dacey (Wyckoff, N.J.) both hit their first collegiate home runs in a 16-5 victory for Salve Regina University baseball over UMass Dartmouth on Wednesday at Reynolds Field.
Series and Streaks
Seahawks have won three of the last four meetings with the Corsairs in Newport. Today's game was moved to Newport from North Dartmouth because the Corsairs home field was unplayable. UMass Dartmouth still holds a 13-6 advantage in the all-time series.
Three Seahawk Stars of the Day
1 – Salve Regina junior infielder Hunter Sleeper (Arlington, Mass.) - hit his first collegiate home run (a three-run shot to center in the 3rd) and added a double and a single.
2 – Salve Regina sophomore infielder John Militano (Miller Place, N.Y.) - collected four hits, three runs batted in, and two runs scored.
3 – Salve Regina sophomore pitcher Kyle Lefelar (Potomac, Md.) - had his first appearance of the season pitching three scoreless innings in relief for the victory.
Key Stat of the Day
Salve Regina rapped out seven doubles and nine extra-base hits.
Turning Points
After a three-run homer in the 3rd inning by Jose Vasquez (Roxbury, Mass.) brought the visitors within two (6-4), Sleeper's home run tacked on three more for the Seahawks in the bottom of the frame.
Quick Hits
- Salve Regina's Alex Perry (No. Attleboro, Mass.) added his sixth multi-RBI game of the season with a fielder's choice grounder in the 1st and a double in the 6th. The 2015Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Player and Rookie of the Year and All-American has driven in runs in 11 of 13 games (20 RBI on the season).
- Corsairs' starting catcher Jack Harrington (Barnstable, Mass.) and his head coach Bob Prince were both ejected in the bottom of the 1st after arguing with the home plate umpire on a "safe" call for senior Ryan Kelly (Waldwick, N.J.) scoring on Perry's grounder.
- Kelly later was hit by pitches in two different at bats to raise his school-record total to 60 times in his career.
- Sophomore Jonathan Lynch (Cumberland, R.I.) had his team-leading ninth appearance of the season.
- Freshman outfielder Zack Smith (New Canaan, Conn.) had two hits with the first one doing the most damage - striking Corsairs' starting pitcher Ryan Ainslie (Weymouth, Mass.) in the leg and ending his day after retiring just one Seahawk and allowing three earned runs.
- Vasquez finished 4-for-4 with all five RBI for the Corsairs.
Quotes
"I was proud of the way our bullpen was able to settle down the game after the first three innings. Offensively, Militano is really locked in and tracking pitches. It was nice to see Dacey and Sleeper let their hands go and drive one over the fence. We just have to keep working on our weaknesses each day to be a more well-rounded team." - Salve Regina head coach Eric Cirella
Next up
Salve Regina (6-7) – Friday, April 8 vs. Rhode Island Col., 3:30 p.m.
UMass Dartmouth (7-7) – Saturday, April 9 vs. Southern Maine, 12 p.m. [DH]