Gulls Win Home Opener, 6-3
March 28, 2007
BEVERLY, MA - The Endicott College baseball team made their 2007 home debut Wednesday afternoon with a 6-3 come-from-behind victory over non-conference rival Salem State College. EC used a three run seventh inning to propel the Blue and Green to the 6-3 victory.
The Vikings jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Salem State had two runners reach on consecutive Endicott errors, setting the scene for Ken Luongo (Wilmington, MA/Wilmington). The junior first baseman singled to right field to score two. The Gulls would escape the inning trailing by three as Marc Crovo (Melrose, MA/Melrose) was caught attempting to steal home.
Endicott grabbed two runs back in their half of the third, as Aaron Santos (Cambridge, MA/Cushing Academy) hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Blake Wessel (Blue Hill, ME/George Stevens Academy). Ryan Scanlon notched the Gulls second run of the inning as he hit an RBI single to left, scoring Tom Warner (Contoocook, NH/Hopkinton) to pull Endicott within one.
The Gulls grabbed the lead in the bottom of the seventh when Aaron Santos singled to left to score Wessel, evening the game at 3-all. Steve Vidmosko (Shelton, CT/Fairfield Prep) kept the rally going as he connected on an RBI single, giving the Gulls their first lead of the day. Ryan Scanlon added an insurance run as he slapped an infield single to score Santos, putting the Gulls up 5-3.
Endicott captilized on a Salem State miscue in the eighth inning as Dan Gomez (East Longmeadow, MA/East Longmeadow) reached on a Vikings error. The junior catcher worked his way around the base paths, eventually scoring on a Blake Wessel infield single, giving the Gulls a 6-3 lead.
That lead was all freshman pitcher Nick Kelley (Malden, MA/Malden Catholic) would need as the righty hurler through five innings of four hit, no run baseball in relief of starter Ian Parkinson (Peabody, MA/Peabody) for the win. Kelley and Parkinson combined for 10 strikeouts on the day. Parkinson threw four innings in the start, allowing three runs (one earned) on one hit while walking three.
Aaron Santos had a strong game for the Gulls, as the freshman centerfielder went two for three with two RBI. Santos also had two big plays in the field, gunning down Matt Mello (Peabody, MA/Peabody) at the plate in a pivotal situation in the sixth. Santos also flashed the leather, making a big diving catch on a sinking liner in the eighth inning.
Endicott (4-4) returns to action tomorrow afternoon as they travel to Bridgewater, MA to take on Bridgewater State College in a make-up date from Tuesday's postponed outing. The Gulls return home on Friday afternoon as they square-off with Wheaton College at 3:30 PM.