Maurice, Saint Anselm end streak
- Updated: April 9, 2022
MANCHESTER – The Saint Anselm College baseball team used a seven run bottom of the fourth inning to power its way by No. 12 Southern New Hampshire University on Friday, 13-11.
The Hawks improved to 12-16 on the season and 5-5 in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division play while the Penmen fell to 18-6 overall and 5-1 in conference play. The teams are set to close out their four-game conference series with a doubleheader on Sunday starting at 10 a.m.
Saint Anselm snaps a 26-game losing streak to Southern New Hampshire, marking the first win in the all-time series since Apr. 4, 2013.
Senior Kyle Maurice (Exeter, N.H.) registered a game-high four hits and tied a game-high three runs scored while classmate Mike Pierro (North Andover, Mass.) and sophomore Zack Clough (Newbury, Mass.) recorded three hits each. Pierro, Clough, and junior Mike Borrelli (Salisbury, Mass.) each drove in two runs in the game. Pierro has hit a home run in consecutive games and needed a triple to hit for the cycle in the contest.
The Hawks have now hit back-to-back home runs twice this season and Pierro has been part of both of those scenarios. Saint Anselm has hit at least one home run in each of the last four games and in six of the last seven contests.
Freshman Adam Betty (Lowell, Mass.) made his seventh start of the season and allowed seven runs on seven hits while striking out three in four innings of work. Senior David Hunter (Middleton, Mass.) recorded the win in relief, giving up just one run on three hits in three innings. Junior Avery Mosseau (Bedford, N.H.) closed the contest, allowing just one hit in two innings of work.
Southern New Hampshire opened the contest with four straight hits as Danniel Rivera, Cristian Mercedes, and Sam Henrie all singled before Dakota Mulcay doubled. Rivera would come around to score on the Henrie single before Mercedes scored on the Mulcay double, giving the visitors a 2-0 lead. After a strikeout and a fielder’s choice out at the plate, Cam Caraher would drive a three-run homerun over the right field fence to cap a five-run top of the first inning.
The Hawks broke through on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning as Maurice singled and advanced to second on a throwing error. He would be brought home on double by Pierro, cutting the deficit to 5-1. A single by sophomore Nolan Elmore (Brentwood, N.H.) would attempt to score Pierro from second but he was cut down at the plate on a strong throw from the right fielder John Chacho.
Saint Anselm would score seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning as Maurice netted a one-out single followed by a two-run home run by Borrelli. Pierro would go back-to-back with Borrelli as the Hawks trailed 7-4 after the big flies. A single and a pair of walks loaded the bases before Clough drew a third consecutive walk to plate a run. Graduate student Salvatore Pezzolla (East Greenbush, N.Y.) reached on a fielder’s choice but a throwing error would allow two runs to score. Clough later scored on a wild pitch ,giving the Hawks an 8-7 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Nick Schwartz would bring the Penmen even at eight with a solo home run to left center field.
The Hawks regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh as Clough and Pezzolla notched back-to-back hits which put runners on second and third. Maurice would ground out to second base which plated Clough as Saint Anselm took a 9-8 lead.
Saint Anselm tacked on three runs in the bottom of the seventh as three consecutive walks loaded the bases. Southern New Hampshire got a pair of strikeouts to nearly escape the jam unscathed, but a balk was called, scoring one run before a wild pitch plated another and a double by Clough scored the third run, pushing the lead to 12-8.
In the bottom of the eighth, Saint Anselm loaded the bases again and Maurice, who led off the inning with a single, would score on a wild pitch. That extended the lead to 13-8.
Southern New Hampshire would make things interesting in the top of the ninth as a pair of walks set up Chacho, who launched a three-run homer to center field, which made it a two-run ballgame. Mercedes drew a walk which brought the tying run to the plate. On a full count, Mosseau would get a swinging strikeout to close the Hawks 13-11 victory.
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