Celenza moves to top of record books as baseball splits doubleheader
COCOA, Fla. – Salisbury University senior Mike Celenza (Gaithersburg, Md.) pushed his name to the top of the baseball program’s record books Tuesday, taking over the top spot in program history in walks and tying for the most runs batted in as the No. 7 Sea Gulls split a doubleheader with New Paltz State University.
The Hawks (3-2) took the opener 6-3, as the Sea Gulls could manage just three hits over seven innings. Salisbury scored one run in the fourth, to cut into a 2-0 New Platz lead, on no hits. After junior Andrew Miller (Schwenksville, Pa.) was hit by a pitch, Celenza drew a walk, tying Greg Lemon for the top spot in program history with 95 free passes. The walk pushed Miller to second and he was able to come home on a Hawk error.
After New Paltz scored four more runs in the bottom of the fifth, the Sea Gulls came up with two runs in the top of the sixth on a two-run single by junior Brian Green (Salisbury, Md.), but it was not enough.
Junior pitcher Kyle Judson (Gaithersburg, Md.) took the loss, allowing six runs, four earned, on four hits and three walks while striking out four.
Salisbury came back with five hits in the second game, but turned that into four runs and a 4-1 victory, behind a complete-game effort of junior pitcher Nate Young (Washington Township, N.J.). Young allowed just three hits and one unearned run while striking out 11 and keeping his ERA unblemished through three appearances.
In the bottom of the first inning, Celenza grounded out, allowing Miller to score from third. The RBI was Celenza’s 173rd of his collegiate career, matching Nick Pegelow for the program’s top mark.
New Paltz would tie the game in the third inning, but the Sea Gulls (10-2) would score two runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to earn the win. Green and Miller each hit solo home runs in the fifth; it was Green’s second home run and Miller’s first blast of 2010.
Celenza walked to lead off the sixth inning, the 96th free pass of his career, most in program history. He would later score the final run off the game on a Ryan Smith (Waldorf, Md.) single.
Salisbury will continue its week in Florida, taking on Nichols College Wednesday morning at Cocoa (Fla.) High School.
