FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Sophomore Quinn Griffith batted 3-for-5 with a double and two runs driven in and classmate Bill Root was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI as the No. 8 Salisbury University baseball team topped the University of Mary Washington, 7-4, to complete a Capital Athletic Conference series sweep on Sunday.
Griffith gave Salisbury (15-3, 7-2 CAC) the lead for good in the top of the seventh inning with a two-out RBI single to left field that scored Joey Jones from second for a 5-4 lead. From there, the Sea Gulls added a pair of runs in the eighth and Stephen Miller shut down Mary Washington (5-9-1, 2-6 CAC) in 2 1/3 innings of perfect relief, including three strikeouts, for his first career save.
Junior Danny Druzgala (3-0) earned the win out of the bullpen for the Sea Gulls, going three innings and allowing an unearned run on five hits and a walk; he struck out one.
The Eagles took the lead, 3-2, in the bottom of the fourth. Brent Steffey led off the frame with an infield single off SU starter Jeff Hoffman. After Seth Jordan hit a double to left field, putting runners on second and third, Santino Rosanova lifted a ball to center field to score Steffey from third. Connor Finnerty then reached on a fielder's choice, but Jordan was forced at the plate for the second out of the inning. Hoffman was unable to get out of trouble in the inning, though, as Kevin Yarnell and Jonathan Haught picked up consecutive RBI doubles to take the lead.
The Sea Gulls got a run back in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 3-3. Root coaxed a walk from UMW starter Michael Straub (1-3) and went first to third on a Jones single before Tyler Bennett scored Root with a sacrifice fly.
Straub took the loss in seven innings. He allowed six runs (four earned) on eight hits and four walks while fanning five.
SU retook the lead, 4-3, in the sixth with an unearned run. Hank Adams reached on a one-out error by second baseman Chris King and advanced to second on a groundout. Johnny Schiotis singled to left to chase Adams home.
The Eagles knotted the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth. Ken O'Neill, in as a defensive replacement for Bobby Sanzone at shortstop, committed an error to allow Finnerty to reach base. Yarnell singled but Druzgala induced a groundball double play for two outs in the inning. Finnerty advanced to third on the play and scored on a base hit by Jeff Zeisler. Druzgala got out of the jam, getting a strikeout of Ben Sisk.
Salisbury got on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning. Jones walked with one out before Bennett singled to left and Chris Connor reached on a fielder's choice, moving to second on an error by Sisk, allowing Jones to score. Up next, Griffith, laced a double down the left-field line, scoring Bennett from second.
Steffey paced the UMW offense, going 3-for-5 with a run scored.
Salisbury travels to Newport News, Va., on Wednesday to take on No. 4 Christopher Newport University. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.