COCOA, Fla. – The No. 2 Salisbury University baseball team scored five runs in the ninth inning and brought the winning run to the plate but could not complete the comeback as the Sea Gulls fell to The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey 10-8 Friday in Cocoa, Fla. This is Salisbury’s second loss in five games as the Sea Gulls went 3-1 on their Spring Break trip to Florida.
Salisbury (17-3) fell behind early and entered the ninth inning down 10-3 to the Ospreys (9-3). The Sea Gulls were not ready to lie down as they would score five runs in the final frame. Sophomore outfielder Brad Baylis came to the plate with runners on first and second base and two outs but ended the game as he struck out.
The Sea Gulls posted 11 hits on the day as three players collected at least two hits. Junior first baseman Mike Celenza led the offensive charge for SU as he was 3-for-4 with one RBI. Junior catcher Ryan Smith (one RBI) and Baylis (one RBI) had two hits apiece. The Sea Gulls had one player notch two RBIs on the day in senior outfielder Cody Collins. Salisbury had three other players register one hit on the day in senior second baseman Randy Boyle (one RBI), senior outfielder Jordan Crystal (one RBI) and sophomore third baseman Brian Green.
The game pitted two All-American pitchers against one another as Salisbury rolled out ace Eric Willey (4-1) while Richard Stockton countered with left-hander Scott Fisher (2-1). Willey suffered his first loss of the season as he gave up six runs (four earned) on six hits, walked two and struck out four. Sophomore Dustin Herbert came on in the seventh inning and couldn’t get an out as the Ospreys scored a run off the lefty. Herbert gave way to junior Chad Wolfe (one strikeout) who finished out the inning. Wolfe allowed two runs on three hits. Sophomore Kyle Judson (two strikeouts) closed the game for SU in the eighth as he gave up one run on two hits. Fisher picked up the victory for Richard Stockton as he helped his own cause with a home run in the victory.
The Sea Gulls return to Maryland this week and will take four days off before they start up their Capital Athletic Conference schedule again. SU will travel to St. Mary’s (Md.) College on Wednesday, March 25, for a 3:30 p.m.
