Baseball closes out Florida trip with two big wins

COCOA, Fla. – The Salisbury University baseball team closed out its annual trip to Florida with a pair of wins after an offensive onslaught on Thursday. The Sea Gulls (13-2) topped Baruch College, 20-1, and Nichols College, 13-9.

Salisbury opened the day with the 19-run victory against Baruch. Senior Kyle Starr (Lusby, Md.) earned the win allowing just one hit in five shutout innings on the hill. Steve Miller (Crofton, Md.), Jim Lanning (Frederick, Md.) and Justin Sousa (Seabrook, N.H.) all worked an inning of scoreless relief.

The Sea Gulls got big offensive games from a number of players including senior Mike Celenza (Gaithersburg, Md.), who was 3-for-6 with three runs driven in and his first home run of the 2010 season. Junior Brad Baylis (Pocomoke, Md.) went 4-for-4 in the game with a home run and also drove in three runs.

Despite the final margin of the second game of the day, against Nichols, Salisbury was able to open up a big lead early. After Nichols grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, Salisbury put up three runs in the home half and added six runs over the next two innings to take a 9-2 lead and make a winner of starting pitcher Andrew Levy (Hampstead, Md.). Levy worked 5 1/3 innings, striking out seven while allowing six Nichols runs.

Junior Brian Green (Salisbury, Md.) completed a huge day against Nichols, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and driving home four runs, including a pair of home runs. Against Baruch, Green also had three hits. Senior Tim Kellinger (Knoxville, Md.) had three hits in the two games and drove home seven runs including a three-run double against Baruch and a home run against Nichols.

Ryan Smith (Waldorf, Md.) and Devon Quaglietta (Monroe Township, N.J.) each had home runs against Nichols.

The Sea Gulls will take the weekend off before getting back on the field on Monday when they host Virginia Wesleyan College at the SU Baseball Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.