SALISBURY, Md. – The seventh-ranked Salisbury University baseball team won its seventh game out of eight to open the season, using early offense and strong pitching to ease past the TCNJ Lions, 7-2, on Saturday afternoon at Donnie Williams Sea Gull Baseball Stadium.

The Sea Gulls jumped on the scoreboard early and often, plating runs in each of the first four innings. BK Wilson led off the first with a double, then two batters later Dylan Winebrenner brought him home with his own two-sacker. In the second, Trent Waire singled to lead off, stole second, and came home on a two-out RBI base knock by Wilson. Winebrenner walked to lead off the third, then after a sac bunt and a wild pitch, Jackson Inman hit a grounder to first that was booted into the outfield, allowing Winebrenner to trot home and make it 3-0.

In the fourth, with two down and a man on third, Danny Sheeler dropped a soft liner into center for an RBI single, and after Winebrenner was hit by a pitch Noah Burroughs singled Sheeler home and advanced Winebrenner to third. Winebrenner in turn scored on a throwing error to attempt to pick Burroughs off first, building the SU margin to 6-0.

Salisbury tacked on one more in the sixth as Wilson singled, stole second and third, and came home on a two-out Burroughs triple, making it 7-0.

TCNJ got two back in the eighth on a wild pitch and a Jack O'Donnell RBI double, but O'Donnell was thrown out at the plate moments later when TJ Morris picked up a single from right and threw him out at the plate, deflating the last true Lion rally.

Aided by three double play turns, starting pitcher Tyler Villa buzz-sawed his way through the Lions for 7.1 innings, while Garrett Beaver and Bryce Sterling combined to secure the final five outs and lock down the dub.

GAME NOTES

• BK Wilson brought a charge to the top of the lineup, going 3-for-5 with a double, RBI, two runs, and three stolen bases.
• Noah Burroughs finished 3-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs.
• Dylan Winebrenner went 1-for-3 with a double, RBI, and two runs scored.
• Tyler Villa (1-0) didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning on the way to a dominant first win of the year, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits in a career-long 7.1 innings. Villa walked four and struck out four on 109 pitches.
• Garrett Beaver got the final two outs of the eighth inning, while Bryce Sterling struck out two in a perfect ninth to finish the job.

The Sea Gulls will host a matchup with national implications on Sunday when third-ranked Johns Hopkins comes to town. First pitch from Williams Stadium is set for 1:30 p.m.