MANCHESTER, N.H. - The Southern Connecticut baseball team swept Saint Anselm in a conference doubleheader winning the first game 15-14 in 10 innings and the second game 3-1 in seven. The Owls improve to 22-14 overall and 9-7 in the Northeast-10. The Hawks are now 9-28 overall and 3-14 in the conference.
Spencer Chard was 4-for-8 with three runs scored, three RBIs, and a double. Izaiah Walker was 4-for-6 with three runs scored, an RBI, and a double. Jake Chacho originally came in as a pinch hitter and then moved to left field in Game 1 going 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI.
In Game 1, Jaylen Cruz got his first win of the season after pitching three innings and allowing four hits, one run to score, and struck out two. Steve Phillips came in in the 10th and shut down Saint Anselm to get the save. In Game 2, Spencer Fox got the win to improve to 4-3 on the mound. He threw five innings while only allowing three hits and one run while striking out five. Keegan Daigle came in in the 6th inning and got his third save of the season.
GAME 1: SCSU 15, SAINT ANSELM 14
Southern fell behind early, 12-0 through six innings, before scoring twice in the top of the 7th. The Owls then scored 11 runs in their final at-bat to tie the game at 13-13. It was a Jack Drewry home run in the 10th that gave the Owls the come-from-behind win.
In the 7th, Izaiah Walker led off the inning with a single to right field before the next two batters were retired. After Derrick Jagello worked a walk, Spencer Chard singled to left to drive home Walker before an error allowed Jagello to come around as well.
In the 9th, Walker got on base again to lead off the inning, this time he got hit by a pitch. Chad Fedeli followed and was also hit before Zakary Droukas singled to right center to score Walker. Alex Cappellucci then worked a walk to load the bases before Chard reached on a fielder's choice to score Fedeli. Freshman Brady Chernovitz then entered the game as a pinch hitter. His ground ball to third was misplayed, allowing Droukas to score before Jake Chacho singled home Chard.
After Jack Drewry singled through the right side to load the bases, Aidan Hyams worked a walk to force Chernovitz home before Walker did the same to score Chacho and cut Saint Anselm's lead to 13-8. After the Hawks changed pitchers, Fedeli's ground ball to short was misplayed, allowing two runs to cross the plate as the Owls pulled within two runs, 13-10. Droukas then hit a fly ball to shallow right field that was dropped by the second baseman, allowing Walker to score and Fedeli and Droukas to move into scoring position. Cappellucci then hit a sacrifice fly to plate Droukas as Fedeli went to third as the Owls moved to within a run, 13-12. With the tying run just 90 feet away, Chard sent a hard-hit ground ball to third that was misplayed that allowed Fedeli to score and tie the game at 13-13.
In the 10th, Chacho singled to lead off the inning before Drewry turned on a 3-0 fastball and blasted a two-run homer to give Southern the 15-13 lead. Saint Anselm scored another run in the bottom of the inning before Steve Phillips was able to retire the final batter to complete the Owls' comeback.
GAME 2: SCSU 3, SAINT ANSELM 1
Brennan Staubley and Derrick Jagello were both 1-for-3 in Game 2 with Jagello also having a double and a run scored. Staubley added an RBI as well as Jake Gruttadauria.
In the top of the 3rd, Spencer Chard and Brennan Staubley got on base with a walk and a single, respectively. Jake Gruttadauria then singled through the left side to score Chard to give the Owls the lead before the Hawks tied it at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning.
Derrick Jagello hit a double down the right field line to lead off the 5th inning and then scored on a single from Chard to put the Owls ahead.
In the top of the 7th, Chard was getting it done again for the Owls as he doubled to left field and then advanced to third on a passed ball. He then scored on an RBI ground out from Staubley to give the Owls a two-run lead. Keegan Daigle then retired the side, pitching two innings and only allowed one hit to get the save.
Southern is back in action when it travels to Waltham, Mass. on Saturday, Apr. 26 to take on Bentley at 12 p.m. The Owls then head to Worcester, Mass. on Sunday, Apr. 27 to face Assumption.
