NEWPORT, R.I.- First baseman Tyler Petrosino hit a home run in both games today as #2/#3 Salve Regina University baseball swept the University of Southern Maine, 5-1 and 11-3, in Kingston, Rhode Island, at Bill Beck Field in a Saturday non-league doubleheader.
Petrosino's first blast came in the bottom of the fourth with the Seahawks (5-0, 0-0 NEWMAC) trailing 1-0 and then jumping to a 3-1 advantage. Brayden Clark (W, 2-0) pitched seven innings and struck out 13 Huskies (0-3) after recovering from a first-frame solo dinger to Kyle Douin. With the victory in game one, Salve Regina head coach Eric Cirella '05, a three-time Academic All-America® while playing baseball for his father, Steve Cirella, became the second Seahawk coach to reach the 300-win plateau. The elder Cirella ranks first all-time in school history with 318 wins.
Petrosino led off the bottom of the first of game two and hit a first pitch over the fence in right field for a 1-0 lead. The Huskies tied the score in the top of the second before Salve Regina plated four in the bottom of the frame, and then three more in each of the sixth and eighth innings. Reliever James Keating (W, 1-0) came into the game at the start of the fifth and pitched three scoreless frames for the victory. The Seahawk infield turned a trio of double plays.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Finals: [1] Salve Regina 5, Southern Maine 1; [2] Salve Regina 11, Southern Maine 3
Records: Salve Regina (5-0, 0-0Â NEWMAC), Southern Maine (0-3, 0-0 LEC)
All-Time Series: First-ever meeting in baseball between Salve Regina University and the University of Southern Maine came in the 2001 NCAA Division III Regionals in Harwichport, Massachusetts. Huskies downed the Seahawks, 5-3. Salve Regina earned its first victory in the series, 9-2, when they met in Auburndale, Florida, in 2016. Two years later another Lake Myrtle Park meeting tipped in the Huskies' favor, 3-2. Salve Regina also traveled to Gorham, Maine, for the first time ever in 2018 and fell, 8-6. Since then, the Seahawks have won 10Â straight including a 2021 NCAA regional matchup in Hartford, Connecticut, 5-4, and the following spring break in the Sunshine State, 8-3. In 2023 at Ed Flaherty Field, Salve Regina swept a pair, 2-1 and 8-4. Last year at Bill Beck Field, Salve Regina swept a three-game series. Seahawks lead the all-time series, 11-3, after sweeping this year's three-game set.
SUMMARY GAME ONE
- T1 - With one out on an 0-2 pitch, Kyle Douin knocked a Brayden Clark pitch out of the park in center field. | SEAHAWKS 0, HUSKIES 1
- B4 - Shane Williams led off with a single through the right side and dove back to first safely after Shea Donovan's sharp line drive was snared by second baseman Jack LeBlond. Nate Ruehs followed with a single to right field and Tyler Petrosino launched a three-run homer to right field. | SEAHAWKS 3, HUSKIES 1
- B5 - Hunter Yaworski singled up the middle and Wil McCarthy had a single down the left field line. Shane Williams delivered two runs with a double to left field. | SEAHAWKS 5, HUSKIES 1
NOTEWORTHY
- Brayden Clark (W, 2-0) earned the victory with his seven innings of work while striking out 13 batters.
- Salve Regina had five runs on nine hits.
- Both teams played error-free ball in the field.
- Tyler Petrosino had two hits and drove in three runs while Shane Williams also had a multi-hit game.
- Jason Arrigo pitched two scoreless innings in relief and retired all six batters he faced while striking out two.
- Seahawk head coach Eric Cirella '05 notches his 300th career victory (300-134-6; .689).
SUMMARY GAME TWO
- B1Â - First baseman Tyler Petrosino homered on the first pitch to right field. | SEAHAWKS 1, HUSKIESÂ 0
- T2 - Jack LeBlond singled to center field with two outs after Peter Keblinsky had doubled with one out. | SEAHAWKS 1, HUSKIES 1
- B2 - Wil McCarthy led off with a double and advanced to third on Shane Williams's single. Williams moved up on a wild pitch and the bases were loaded after Shea Donovan drew a base on balls. Danny Rogers reached on a fielder's choice while McCarthy crossed the plate. Williams later scored on another wild pitch and Nate Ruehs took ball four. With two outs, Evan O'Rourke doubled in two runs with Donovan and Ruehs coming home for a 5-1 lead. | SEAHAWKS 5, HUSKIES 1
- T4 - A one-out triple by Peter Keblinsky scored Sam Economy who had led off with a walk. Lucas Francis had a sacrifice fly to cut the Southern Maine deficit to two. | SEAHAWKS 5, HUSKIES 3
- B6 - Shea Donovan led off with a single and Danny Rogers sacrificed him to second before Donovan stole third. After Tyler Petrosino walked, Evan O'Rourke beat out an infield single to score Donovan. On a 3-2 pitch, Christian Homa extended his hit streak to eight games (last three of 2024 -- all versus Wisconsin Whitewater -- and first five of 2025) with an RBI single to center field. With the bases loaded, Wil McCarthy singled to shortstop for the third run of the inning. | SEAHAWKS 8, HUSKIES 3
- B8 - Hunter Yaworski singled down the left field line and pinch-runner Ray Mulhern stole second before coming home on Wil McCarthy's single down the left field line. Shane Williams singled to center field and with two outs, pinch-hitter Matthew Neal delivered a two-run double to right center. | SEAHAWKS 11, HUSKIES 3
NOTEWORTHY
POSTGAME WITH COACH CIRELLA
NEXT UP
The Seahawks fly south for their annual spring break trip to compete against six schools in the RussMatt Invitational (March 8-13).
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