March 30, 2023

No. 2 Salisbury Baseball wins 20th game at TCNJ, 21-4

More news about: Salisbury

Batting

Salisbury
2B: Luke Weddell; Andrew Kell; Stephen Rice; Max Ehrhardt
3B: none
HR: Jacob Ference
TCNJ
2B: Ryan Goodall; Jason Wasko
3B: none
HR: Andrew Fernandez
full stats

EWING, N.J. – The second-ranked Salisbury University baseball team put its foot on the gas at the plate and cruised to its 20th win of the season, rolling by the TCNJ Lions, 21-4, on Thursday afternoon at Ackerman Park.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

  • The Sea Gulls didn't waste any time breaking out the big lumber. Cameron Hyder led off the top of the first inning with a walk and Luke Weddell reached on a sac bunt-error. Kavi Caster, Danny Sheeler and Ben Anderson strung together three straight RBI singles, then after a sac bunt Jacob Ference belted a three-run homer to dead center, putting Salisbury on top 6-0.
  • The Lions answered with a run in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Zach Hochheiser that made it 6-1, but Justin Marcario grounded into an around-the-horn double play and SU got out of it with minimal damage.
  • In the top of the fourth, Hyder singled to lead off and advanced to third on a Weddell sac bunt and Caster base hit. Sheeler brought Hyder home with an RBI single, and Caster scored on a wild pitch. After a walk SU got three more runs on a Stephen Rice double, Ference sac fly and Scott Cameron single, building the lead to 11-1 after a five-run frame.
  • Andrew Fernandez's two-run homer in the home fourth brought TCNJ back within 11-3.
  • Salisbury put up another five-spot in the top of the sixth, scoring on a Hyder RBI single, Weddell two-run double, Caster RBI groundout and an Anderson RBI on an error to go up 16-3.
  • In the bottom of the sixth, the Lions got another run on a Jason Wasko double to make it 16-4.
  • Salisbury brought around three more runs in the eighth as Andrew Kell scored on a balk, Adam Tommer on a wild pitch and Roman March on a sac fly by Patrick Campbell that made it 19-4.
  • The Sea Gulls broke 20 runs for the second time this season in the ninth as Max Ehrhardt doubled home a run with his first career hit. Kell brought in another on a fielder's choice to give the game its final 21-4 margin.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES

  • Jacob Ference went yard for the seventh time this season, finishing 1-for-4 with the home run and four RBIs. Ference now has more homers in 2023 than he did over his first three seasons at SU (six).
  • Cameron Hyder batted 2-for-3 with three runs and an RBI. At 245 career hits he is now seven away from tying the Sea Gull record of 252, and at 184 runs he has tied Jason Ewing '02 for fifth-most in program history.
  • Luke Weddell, Kavi Caster and Danny Sheeler each had two hits and two RBIs, with Weddell adding in a double for good measure.
  • Stephen Rice went 2-for-3 with a double, RBI and two runs scored.
  • Brandon Epstein (3-1) scooped up the win with two scoreless innings in relief, surrendering no hits and one walk with two strikeouts.
  • Epstein, Garrett Beaver, Aaron Combs, Mitchell Wittkamp and Todd Hendrix combined for six strong innings out of the bullpen, giving up just one unearned run.
  • Benji Thalheimer lasted three innings in his start, allowing three runs on three hits with four walks and two punchouts.

TCNJ GAME NOTES

  • Andrew Fernandez powered a two-run homer to account for half of the Lions' offense, finishing 1-for-2.
  • Jason Wasko knocked a pinch-hit RBI double in his only at-bat.
  • John DiCostanzo (1-1) absorbed the loss after giving up six runs (five earned) on five hits in a one-inning start.

UP NEXT

  • The Sea Gulls' Sunday doubleheader at Penn State Harrisburg has been postponed; Harrisburg rescheduled a conference fixture against Gallaudet from Saturday to Sunday to avoid forecasted rain.
  • Salisbury is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday with a visit to York (Pa.).
  • First pitch from Jaquet Field 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.