SALISBURY, Md. – A midweek matchup with national implications lived up to its billing as the second-ranked Salisbury University baseball team outdueled the 10th-ranked Rowan Profs, 6-4, for its seventh straight win on Wednesday afternoon at Donnie Williams Sea Gull Baseball Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Profs drew first blood in the top of the first inning. With two outs and a man at first after a walk, Dylan Maria lofted a two-run home run just over the fence in right, vaulting Rowan on top 2-0.
• The Sea Gulls countered with one in the bottom of the first. Kavi Caster, Danny Sheeler and Ben Anderson strung together three two-out singles, with Caster coming home on Anderson's knock to get SU on the board, 2-1.
• In the second, doubles by Jacob Ference and Dom Frigiola put men on second and third with one out. Both runners scored on a Cameron Hyder infield hit plus a throwing error by the shortstop. After Luke Weddell was hit by a pitch, Caster hit into a fielder's choice that the second baseman threw into the dugout, allowing Hyder to score to make it 4-2 Salisbury.
• Both teams fell silent at the plate until Rowan clawed one back in the top of the sixth. Phil Sedalis led off with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a Jason Morgan single. Tyler Cannon then hit a sac fly deep enough to center to bring home Sedalis and get the Profs within one, 4-3.
• Salisbury didn't wait long to respond. Luke Weddell was hit by a pitch with two out in the home sixth, then Caster blasted a moon-shot home run to right field to rebuild the Sea Gull lead to 6-3.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BSB: ��DINGER ALERT�� We can&#39;t confirm whether this moon-scraping two-run homer from Kavi Caster has landed yet.<br><br>End of the 6th: No. 2 <a href="https://twitter.com/SalisburyBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SalisburyBB</a> 6, Rowan 3<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoGulls?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoGulls</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/d3baseball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#d3baseball</a> <a href="https://t.co/jf2ePZCxKV">pic.twitter.com/jf2ePZCxKV</a></p>&mdash; Salisbury Athletics (@suseagulls) <a href="https://twitter.com/suseagulls/status/1641187878704410624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

• Sedalis led off the eighth with a low liner to left that Caster dove for and missed, and Sedalis raced all the way around for an inside-the-park home run to bring Rowan back within 6-4.
• The Profs got the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth as Anthony Schooley singled with two out, but Jimmy Adkins dotted the corner to strike Chris Curcio out looking and put it in the books for the Sea Gulls.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES

• Kavi Caster finished 2-for-4 with a tape-measure home run, two runs scored and two RBIs, plus a stolen base.
• Caster's eighth homer ties him with Danny Sheeler for most on the team this season. With 26 career big flies, Caster has drawn even to Dave Westervelt '98 for fourth-most in Sea Gull history.
• Ben Anderson batted 2-for-5 with an RBI, and Jacob Ference went 2-for-2 with a double, run, walk and sac bunt.
• Bryce Sterling (1-0) picked up his first collegiate win with 2.1 scoreless innings in relief. Sterling scattered five hits with no walks and one strikeout.
• Jimmy Adkins made his first relief appearance of the season and earned his first save with a scoreless ninth, punching out two. Adkins' seven career saves tie him with Eric Willey '09 for fifth-most in SU history.
• Zach Adams made the start on a bullpen-heavy day for the Sea Gulls, giving up two runs on a homer with three walks and three strikeouts in one inning.
• Robbie Hollenbeck bridged the gap between Sterling and Adkins with a career-long 4.2 innings out of the bullpen, giving up two runs on four hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

ROWAN GAME NOTES

• Phil Sedalis led the Profs at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an inside-the-park home run, two runs scored and a stolen base.
• Dylan Maria finished 1-for-5 with a two-run homer in the first inning.
• Tyler Cannon went 2-for-4 with an RBI on a sac fly.
• Jake Reese (0-2) battled through 5.2 innings in a loss, giving up six runs (five earned) on 11 hits with one walk and five strikeouts on 104 pitches.

UP NEXT

• The Sea Gulls will hit the road for the next seven games, starting with a Thursday afternoon trip to TCNJ.
• First pitch from Ewing, N.J. is set for 3:30 p.m.

Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football and men's and women's swimming, and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse. With over 500 student-athletes in 21 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, and dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on-and-off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 22 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 188 conference championships and 44 Academic All-Americans.

To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or on social media @SUSeaGulls.