Box Score NEWPORT, R.I. – Sophomore Jose Vasquez (Roxbury, Mass.) went 4-for-4 at the plate and drove in all five of the Corsairs' runs for a new career high, but Salve Regina ultimately came out on top 16-5 against UMass Dartmouth Wednesday afternoon. The Corsairs move to 7-7 on the year, while the Seahawks improve to 6-7.
The Corsairs began the scoring right away as they put up a run in the top of the first with a bases-loaded single by Vasquez to score freshman Erick Ramirez (Boston, Mass.) from third.
The Seahawks then took the lead in the bottom half of the frame, when senior Ryan Kelly (Waldwick, N.J.) scored on a fielder's choice, hit by sophomore Alex Perry (North Attleboro, Mass.). Salve Regina would tack on two more runs in the inning to take the lead 3-1 and would increase their advantage to 6-1 after adding in the second.
UMass Dartmouth jumped right back in the game in the top of the third inning when junior Taylor Cacciola (West Greenwich, R.I.) reached first base after being hit by the pitch. Cacciola advanced to second on a sophomore Kenny Michael (Norwood, Mass.) walk. They would both score on a home run for Vasquez, his second of the year.
Salve answered with a three-run long ball of their own, when junior Hunter Sleeper (Arlington, Mass.) sent one over the fence in the bottom of the third. The Seahawks would add four in the fifth, and three in the sixth to finish their scoring at 16 runs.
Vasquez added to his day in the top of the seventh, when he singled home sophomore Ervin Kantardzic (Roslindale, Mass.) from third to put the cap on his career day and the Corsair scoring.
With 16, the Seahawks set a season high in runs, their highest mark since last year when they put up 17 runs against Eastern Connecticut on April 2, 2015.
Senior Aaron Chouinard (Swansea, Mass.) struck out the side in the eighth inning for the Corsairs, while freshman Ryan Ainslie (Weymouth, Mass.) took the loss for the Corsairs, after going 0.1 innings and giving up three runs. As a pitching staff, the Corsair arms struck out 14 batters, while only walking two.
Junior Frank Lemiex (Marshfield, Mass.) got the start for the hosts, but only lasted one inning of work. Sophomore Kyle Lefelar (Potomac, Md.) collected the win on the day, after throwing threes frames of shutout baseball and striking out four.
UMass Dartmouth will return to action and open their conference slate on Saturday with a doubleheader against No. 23 Southern Maine, the reigning conference champion, with first pitch coming at 12 p.m.
