Marinelli Socks First Collegiate Home Run

SALISBURY, MD - #6 Salisbury snapped a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fifth with three runs to take a 4-1 lead en route to a 12-1 victory over visiting Washington College at SU Baseball Field in non-conference baseball action on Friday afternoon.  The Sea Gulls improve to 6-1 on the season, while the Shoremen fall to 1-1.

The Sea Gulls struck in the bottom of the first when with two outs, Chris Connor singled to center field to plate Nick Gentry from second base to put Salisbury up 1-0. 

The Shoremen would level the game at 1-1 when sophomore second baseman Nick Marinelli (Ellicott City, MD/Marriotts Ridge) launched his first collegiate home run over the left field wall, a solo shot.  In the bottom of the fourth, Salisbury got the first batters on via a pair of walks, but Washington junior pitcher Joe Kearney-Argow (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) was able to retire the next three batters to get out of the frame unscathed.

The Sea Gulls scored three times in the bottom of the fifth inning to grab a 4-1 lead.  Salisbury would reclaim the lead when Ken O'Neill hit a solo homer over the left field wall to put the hosts up for good at 2-1 with one away in the bottom of the fifth.  After the inning was prolonged by a throwing error by Washington with two outs, Connor doubled to right-center driving in Tyler Bennett and Connor to put Salisbury up 4-1.

The hosts scored three more times in the bottom of the sixth to take a 7-1 lead.  Hank Adams scored on a throwing error by WC to make it 5-1 with one out.  With two outs, Bill Root drove in Nick Walls on a single to center to make it 6-1 and Root scored on a single up the middle by Gentry to make it 7-1.  Salisbury added three more runs in the last of the seventh and two more in the bottom of the eighth to provide the final margin.

The game was called in the top of the ninth inning due to rain.

Leading the Salisbury attack were Connor and O'Neill.  Connor went 3-for-4 with three RBI, while O'Neill went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored.  Root went 2-for-5 with two RBI and run scored, while Gentry scored two runs.  Salisbury had 11 hits in the win.  On the mound, Brett Collacchi got the win as he tossed five innings.  He struck out five and surrendered just two hits.  He is 1-0 on the season.  The Sea Gull pitching staff held the Shoremen to just three hits.

For Washington, Marinelli went 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI.  Pitching wise, junior pitcher Kyle Aldrich (Warren, NJ/Watchung Hills Regional) took the loss and drops to 1-1.  He allowed six runs, four earned, in 1 2/3 innings of work in relief.

The Shoremen return to action on Sunday afternoon in a doubleheader against visiting City College of New York with first pitch slated for noon.  The non-conference twinbill was moved from Saturday to Sunday due to impending rain.