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HARTFORD, Conn. (Thu., May 27, 2021) - Wil McCarthy's (Pembroke, Mass.) two-out, two-strike basehit in the sixth gave Salve Regina University baseball its first lead in an NCAA Regional against Wheaton College on Thursday at Murren Family Field at DiBenedetto Stadium on the campus of Trinity College. But the Lyons benefitted in the bottom of the seventh from the fourth error of the game for the Seahawks to go ahead with a 5-4 victory.
Third-seeded Wheaton (17-4) will play second-seeded Oswego State (Fri., May 28 at 4:30 p.m.) after the Lakers clubbed fifth-seeded Husson University, 17-6, in an earlier contest. Fourth-seeded Salve Regina (14-6-1) looks to stave off elimination when it is "home" at 1 p.m. versus top-seeded Southern Maine who defeated sixth-seeded Johnson & Wales University, 17-2, in today's first game.
Lyons righty starter Gavin Reily (Bridgewater, Mass.) retired the first nine Seahawks he faced while his teammates gave him a 3-0 lead after two frames. Andrew Spirito (Cranston, R.I.) drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk for the game's first run off Salve Regina lefty starter Patrick Maybach (Saunderstown, R.I.) who labored after a potential inning-ending double-play grounder was mishandled for no outs.
In the bottom of the second, Patrick Santorella (Scituate, Mass.) scored from first when Brody Ashley's (Strafford, N.H.) single to right was misplayed for a two-base error. Ashley touched home on George Mulcahey's (Brooklyn, N.Y.) sacrifice fly to center.
Eighth-year head coach Eric Cirella is no stranger to postseason competition; his teams have been in ECAC or NCAA action six out of seven full seasons. He put Anthony Cieszko (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) in motion to steal second and a throwing error allowed Matt D'Amato (Midland Park, N.J.) to come home from third with the first Seahawk run in the fourth.
A controversial strike three call on Michael Breen (Auburn, Mass.) led to an unnecessary throwing error that sent McCarthy home with the second Seahawk run in the fifth.
In the Seahawk sixth, Brandon Grover (Ashland, Mass.) singled with one out and Tyler Cannoe (Schenectady, N.Y.) followed with a hit by pitch. Sean O'Malley (Darien, Conn.) literally hit the pitcher, and Reily lay on his back motionless while Spirito fielded the carom to tag O'Malley with the second out. Reily exited in favor of relief pitcher Josh Roberge (Chelmsford, Mass.) who surrendured the one-run lead on a line-drive single by McCarthy.
Maybach (3-1) got a fairly quick sixth inning with a strikeout and a pair of infield grounders. Roberge (4-0) allowed just one hit, a Matt D'Amato single, in the final three frames while striking out four Seahawks.
In the Lyons seventh, Mulcahy singled and came home on two-base hit by Jacob Studley (Barrington, R.I.) who scored the game-winner on a Seahawk throwing error.