May 1, 2007
NEWPORT, RI - Endicott College couldn't capitalize on a pair of bases-loaded, no-out jams in the early innings as the seventh-seeded Gulls fell to No. 2 Salve Regina University, 5-3, in the first-round of the Commonwealth Coast Conference double-elimination tournament at historic Cardines Field.
Endicott catcher Dan Gomez (East Longmeadow, MA/East Longmeadow) broke a scoreless tie with a two-run homerun in the second inning after Joe Orlando (Gloucester, MA/Gloucester) led off the frame with a base on balls. The next three Endicott batters reached off Salve Regina starter Bill Riggieri (Worcester, MA) via a single, walk, and an error charged to the pitcher. A failed squeeze attempt allowed the Seahawks to gun down the runner at third for the first out, and then a fielder's choice groundout was followed by a flyout to end the inning with no further damage.
The Blue and Green loaded the bases again in the fourth with no outs, but Riggieri struck out Tom Warner (Contoocook, NH/Hopkinton) and then got Aaron Santos (Cambridge, MA/Cushing Academy) to ground into an inning ending double-play to escape another jam.
Salve Regina managed to score four times in the fourth on two hits, a hit-batsman and four walks. Catcher Rob Peruzzotti (Mystic, CT), who doubled leading off the fourth, homered to lead off the seventh to give SRU a 5-2 lead.
Salve's Richard Fuller (Danbury, CT) came on in relief of Riggieri in the seventh after Santos reached on an error. Fuller got Steve Vidmosko (Shelton, CT/Fairfield Prep) to pop out to second before inducing a double-play grounder on the next batter. Fuller was nicked for a run in the ninth, and stranded runners on second and third after Orlando grounded to second to end the game.
Salve Regina next plays on Wednesday, May 2 (3 PM) against No. 6 Nichols on Reynolds Field on the Seahawk campus. The Bison edged No. 3 Colby-Sawyer, 1-0, in a first-round game in New London, N.H., today. Endicott will now travel to face Colby-Sawyer in New London, NH tomorrow, as the Chargers will host the Gulls in an elimination game on Wednesday.