Baseball

SALISBURY, Md. - The No. 26 Salisbury University baseball team won its home opener on Sunday afternoon at Sea Gull Field as they swept a doubleheader from Stevens Institute of Technology in front of a crowd of 150. A week after the Sea Gulls (2-1) dropped their season opener to Virginia Wesleyan College, 5-4 in 10 innings, the maroon and gold exploded for 35 combined runs in the two seven-inning games. Salisbury won the first game 24-1 followed by an 11-2 victory over the Ducks (0-2).

Salisbury wasted no time in the first game as it posted three runs in the first two innings highlighted by senior Justin Armiger's two-run home run in the first and a two-run double in the second.

The offense continued their tear in the fourth inning as the Sea Gulls plated four runs with two outs. Freshman Will Evans (3-for-5) hit his first collegiate home run as his two-run shot to left field was followed by three consecutive hits by junior Michael Loomis, senior Brian Camper and junior Jordan Crystal to round out the inning. 

The fifth inning saw nine Sea Gulls cross the plate as the offense was aided by two Stevens Tech errors, four walks and a hit by pitch. The Ducks pitching staff couldn't find their way out of trouble all afternoon as Crystal's grand slam in the sixth capped off a powerful first game for the maroon and gold.

Junior Eric Willey (1-0) picked up the win in his first start of the season as he tossed five effective innings as he yielded one unearned run on one hit and struck out four. Juniors Jeff Feigl and Lucas Hanson closed out the victory with a scoreless inning each and a strikeout apiece.

Stevens Tech's first and only hit came from John Frustaci (1-for-3) in the first inning as the clean-up hitter singled off Willey. Senior Scott Picerno (0-1) took the loss for the Ducks.

In the second game, the Ducks took the early lead without getting a hit as Salisbury's defense committed two errors in the first inning. Stevens Tech pulled off a double steal with runners at first and second in the second inning. SU freshman catcher Andrew Miller's throw glanced off Armiger's glove and went into left field. Sophomore Anthony Andrews came around to give the Duck's their first lead of the season.

The maroon and gold responded in the third inning as sophomore first basemen Mike Celenza smacked a two-run homer to right-center plating Camper, who singled to lead off the inning. Salisbury scored three more runs in the fourth on three singles and two wild pitches.

The Sea Gulls put the game out of reach in the sixth as they mustered four runs with two outs. Ducks pitcher Dan Anunziatta quickly retired Randy Boyle and Celenza on called third strikes. Anunziatta quickly ran into trouble as he issued a walk to Armiger, surrendered a single to Mark Bostwick and then hit Miller with a pitch. Anunziatta walked Evans to plate Armiger. Sophomore Matt O'Keefe stepped up next and drilled a bases clearing double to left-center to give the Sea Gulls the commanding 11-2 advantage.

Freshman Dustin Herbert (1-0), who made his first career start for SU, picked up the win. The 6-foot-2 lefthander pitched four innings, gave-up two runs (one earned) on four hits and struck out five. Sophomore J.D. Polcari provided relief in the fifth as he closed out the game with three scoreless innings and two strikeouts.

For the day, Salisbury had four players accumulate five hits in the two games; Camper (5-for-9), Bostwick (5-for-13), Celenza (5-for-13) and Boyle (5-for-14). Crystal led all Sea Gulls with eight RBI and four runs. Armiger and Evans knocked in five RBI and scored four times.

Salisbury returns to action Friday, February 22, when the Sea Gulls host Eastern University at 2:30 p.m. at Sea Gull Field.