SALISBURY, Md. – Junior designated hitter Rutger Floyd hit a bases-loaded single to center field to break a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning, helping the No. 9 Salisbury baseball team to a season-opening 5-3 win over Virginia Wesleyan College at the SU Baseball Field on Tuesday.
With two outs, Floyd dropped a line drive in front of center fielder Kenneth Belgrave, who overthrew catcher Billy Crowe, allowing both Ken O'Neill and Quinn Griffith to score the go-ahead runs for Salisbury (1-0).
Senior right-hander Danny Druzgala picked up the win out of the bullpen, pitching 3 2/3 innings of perfect baseball with three strikeouts.
Senior Nick Gentry went 1-for-3 with a run, RBI and two stolen bases to lead the offense. Six players had hits and five scored runs on the day.
Salisbury went up, 1-0, in the bottom of the first. Gentry rapped a single through the right side with one out and stole second. After Kyle Hayman moved him to third, Gentry scored when Griffith reached on a throwing error at third base.
Virginia Wesleyan (0-3) got the run back in the top of the second on a George Annunziata double to left-center field to score Crowe. The Marlins took the lead with two more in the top of the third when Josh Miller doubled home Brett Sutryk and Brandon Lineberry scored Belgrave with a sacrifice fly.
The Sea Gulls responded with a pair of unearned runs in their half of the third when Gentry and Griffith both reached on errors, allowing Matt Cuervo and Bobby Sanzone, respectively, to score.
With Reed Duffer on in relief of Alex Tucci in the eighth, Bill Root started the rally with a single to left. Gentry sacrificed Root to second prior to a Hayman walk. Griffith loaded the bases with base hit through the right side, and after a fielder's choice, Floyd came up with the game-winning hit.
Senior right-hander Andrew Levy started for Salisbury and went 5 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs to get a no-decision. He walked four and struck out one.
Tucci lasted seven innings for Virginia Wesleyan, fanning six and surrendering three hits and three unearned runs. Miller led the Marlins offensively, going 2-for-4 with a double and RBI.
Salisbury is back in action on Friday, hosting the University of Maine-Presque Isle at 2:30 p.m.