SALISBURY, Md. – Sophomore Austin Barefoot drilled a two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning of the second game of the No. 3 Salisbury University baseball team's doubleheader against the University of Mary Washington. The blast helped the Sea Gulls to a split of the day and a weekend series win, securing the top seed in next week's Capital Athletic Conference tournament.
After the Eagles collected a 12-2 win in the opener, Salisbury (23-6, 11-4 CAC) needed just the two runs in the nightcap as sophomore Dan Fein was brilliant, surrendering only three hits and walking one in a complete-game effort.
In a game that lasted just an hour and 19 minutes there were 10 hits, but the only one that mattered was Barefoot's shot to left-center field which carried just over the 350-foot mark beyond the outstretched glove of Mary Washington left fielder Brendan Jones.
Barefoot turned on the 2-and-2 pitch for the 2-0 lead, also driving in sophomore Kyle Hayman, who opened the inning with a perfectly placed bunt single up the third-base line.
The two runs were plenty for Fein, who improved his season record to 6-0 and lowered his ERA to 0.22, which is now the lowest ERA in all of Division III baseball. Fein allowed just the four base runners and none advanced beyond first base in the game, as the sophomore needed just 74 pitches to notch his third complete game.
In the opener, Mary Washington (20-15, 9-6 CAC) began the game with three runs off Salisbury starter Brett Collacchi in the first. The Eagles came up with five hits, including a leadoff single by Conner Lilley, who advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and groundout. With two outs, Lilley was driven home by Jono Haught's single and two runs scored on James Sink's single up the middle later in the frame.
Salisbury struck back in the bottom of the second, putting together two runs on four hits. After an infield single by Danny Breen, the sophomore would advance to third on a groundout and wild pitch. The Gulls came up with their first run of the day when Barefoot single to right field; Barefoot later scored on junior Ken O'Neill's infield single. But the 3-2 score was as close as Salisbury would get.
The Eagle hit well against four Salisbury pitchers in the game, scoring two more off Collacchi in the fourth and adding five runs in the fifth to take a 10-2 lead.
Salisbury managed just four base runners in the final five innings against UMW starter Torey Mancari, who improved to 5-4, setting up the conference-deciding final game.
The CAC tournament begins on Tuesday, Salisbury will host a first-round game, beginning at 3:30 p.m., at the SU Baseball Field. Following Tuesday's opening round, all six teams will travel to Salisbury for the completion of the double-elimination tournament, Friday through Sunday.