Box Score
MANSFIELD, Conn. – The Eastern Connecticut State University baseball team (11-3) fell just short of a ninth-inning comeback against No. 3 nationally-ranked Salve Regina University (12-1) on Thursday afternoon at Holowaty Family Field. The Warriors were able to bring a run back in the bottom of the ninth, but Kyle Carozza was able to record the final out for the Seahawks and escape with the 3-2 win.
Joseph Barlovic (Bergenfield, NJ) was given the nod for this high-profile matchup between the Warriors and Salve Regina. In his five innings of work, Barlovic excelled, allowing just one hit and no runs in his five-strikeout performance. Behind him, the Warrior defense had one of their best games of the year, committing just one error throughout the game. Starting pitcher Jakob Oliver pitched two solid innings for the Seahawks, allowing just one hit during his outing. Salve Regina replaced Oliver with Carrick Ryan in the third inning, a testament to the depth in the Seahawks' pitching reserves.
Despite Ryan's success on the mound, he was replaced by Hunter Alten with one down in the fourth. Alten was able to retire the first batter but gave up the lead on a home run to right field by
Ian Moser (Bellingham, MA), who has been hot for the Warriors as of late. The Warriors had two on with two outs but were unable to add to their 1-0 lead heading into the fifth. After another productive inning from Barlovic, the Warriors brought in
Jack Hawes (Orange) in relief.
A leadoff double down the right field line from Shane Williams gave the Seahawks the start they were looking for in the top of the sixth. Another double down the opposite line allowed Williams to score and put Danny Rogers in scoring position. A pair of walks came either side of the new Warrior pitcher
Tommy Martorano (Wrentham, MA) and he was left to deal with a bases loaded situation with Grady Schopps at the plate. On a 2-2 count, Schopps was hit by a pitch, scoring Rogers. The Seahawks tried to catch Martorano sleeping as Elliot Hamilton attempted to steal home, but Martorano was alert to the danger, throwing to
Hank Penders (Wethersfield) at the plate, who made the straightforward tag on Hamilton.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Warriors found life through three consecutive singles by
Cameron Forte (Easton), Chad Byrd (Bridgeport), and leadoff hitter
Matthew Carrera (Mount Sinai, NY). Luis Ortiz was replaced by Carozza after 3.1 innings, over an inning more than any of his teammates on the mound today. On a 3-2 count, Penders lined out to right field for the second out of the inning and the throw from Evan O'Rourke was just a foot too wide to double up Byrd at second base and end the game. The Warriors survived and Forte easily scored on the sacrifice fly, giving
Lucas Malave (Toms River, NJ) a chance at the plate in a 3-2 game with runners on first and second. Malave grounded out to Carozza on the mound, who ran to first base himself and recorded the final out of the game.
The Warriors are back in action on Saturday at noon for a Little East Conference doubleheader against Plymouth State University at Dunkin Park in Hartford, home of the Hartford Yard Goats. The sides met at Dunkin Park in the 2023 season for a doubleheader and the Warriors won both games by a combined score of 20-3.
The Panthers are off to a 1-7 start in the 2026 season, yet to play a home game or a conference game. Plymouth State has only played four opponents in their eight games, losing to Bard on Wednesday 19-14, a high-scoring game in which the Panthers scored over twice as many runs as they had in any other game this season, but also conceded twice as many as they had in any other game.
Last season, Plymouth State finished with a 6-22 record (3-13 LEC) and did not make the conference playoffs. Eastern beat the Panthers twice at Eastern Baseball Stadium by scores of 9-4 and 10-4.
