NEWPORT, R.I. - Pinch-hitter Jason Sluberski (Verona, N.J.) singled through the left side to bring home pinch-runner Anthony Conte (Georgetown, Mass.) with the winning run in the bottom of the 9th of Game 1 as Salve Regina University baseball defeated Nichols College, 6-5, before sweeping the Bison (9-7 in Game 2) in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) doubleheader.

Sluberski's single made a winner out of reliever Craig Silva (Marlborough, Mass.) who struck out four and allowed only one baserunner in 3.2 innings of work.

Alexander Melcher (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) and Devin Flynn (Auburn, Maine) had RBI basehits during a three-run 2nd inning in Game 1 for the Seahawks. Salve Regina (11-12; 7-3 TCCC) added single runs in the 3rd and 4th innings for a 5-2 lead. Charles Matarazzo (Montville, N.J.) started a two-out rally in the 3rd with a single through the left side and then scored on a double by Nicholas Politelli (Warwick, R.I.). Brandon Bursie (Smithfield, R.I.) contributed a two-out RBI single in the 4th.

In the Bison 5th, Mat Whitman (No. Plainfield, N.J.) led off with a walk. Josh Clark (Brunswick, Maine) and Shayne McNally (Auburn, Mass.) followed with successive one-out singles to load the bases. Seahawk starter Patrick Quinn (Middletown, N.J.) surrendered a bases-loaded walk to Austin Martin (Wakefield, R.I.). Still with one out, Jarred Stuczynski (Whitinsville, Mass.) lofted a foul pop off the first base side. After Seahawk first baseman Nicholas Gaj (Pawtucket, R.I.) made a diving catch and landed on his back, Clark scampered home with the fourth Bison run.

Nichols (5-14; 2-6 TCCC) tied the score in its 6th when John Micciche (Holbrook, Mass.) led off with a walk, then pinch-runner George Sergi (Blackstone, Mass.) stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt before coming home on a single by Whitman.

From the 5th to the 8th, the Seahawks only had two runners reach base - both Matarazzo walks - and both times he was stranded at first.

Flynn opened the Seahawk 9th with a single up the middle. Tom Glynn (Woodbridge, N.J.) reached on a dropped fly ball by the Bison left fielder. After a fielder's choice grounder, Sluberski and Conte appeared in their pinch roles.

In Game 2, Melcher and Dominic Di Sano (Central Falls, R.I.) collected three hits apiece. The Seahawks scored two unearned runs in the 1st, but the Bison came right back with two in their 3rd including an RBI single by Christopher Nemeskal (Swampscott, Mass.).

Di Sano led off the Seahawk 2nd with a double to left center and came home on a Melcher sac fly to right. Quinn hit his first career homer to left field, a two-run shot in the 3rd, and then successive singles from Di Sano, Conte, and Melcher brought home another run in the frame. Glynn and Quinn both had doubles in the 4th to produce the seventh run for Salve Regina.

Zac Johnson (Wakefield, R.I.) started a three-run rally for Nichols in the 5th with a run-scoring single through the left side. McNally hit a two-run triple to left center to pull the Bison within two (7-5). Daniel Kehew (Portsmouth, R.I.) took the mound and struck out the first batter he face on three straight off-speed pitches. A fly out to center ended any further threat.

Flynn's single up the middle in the Seahawk 5th provided two insurance runs. Kehew set the Bison down 1-2-3 in the 6th and retired the first two batters he face in the 7th before Nichols reached him with some infield dribblers and a pair of unearned runs. With the tying runs on base, Kehew retired the last Bison on a fly out to Quinn in left.

Salve Regina plays at Curry College in a TCCC twinbill on Sunday while Nichols hosts Roger Williams University in Dudley, Mass.