MILLTOWN — Ian Keane settled down after the first inning, tossing a complete-game six-hitter for Saint Mark’s baseball as the Spartans downed Salesianum, 6-3, on May 1.
The game, a crisp affair that finished in under two hours, marked the lone regular-season matchup between the rivals. It was the Spartans’ fourth straight win, while the Sals’ six-game winning streak came to an end.
The Sals touched Keane for two in the first to grab the early lead. Matt McSorley drove in courtesy runner Tai Wu and Luke Steinrock with a triple to the fence in right-center. Keane avoided further damage, however, inducing a groundout and a popup to end the inning.
The game featured lots of good defense, including on a play that ended the top of the third. The Sals had three singles in the inning, but Saint Mark’s centerfielder Tyler Mosher threw out Steinrock at the plate to save a run.
Sals starter Matt Speicher retired the first seven Spartans he faced before Aidan Lehane singled with one out in the third. He stole second, then came in to score on a wild pitch on a strikeout with two outs. Lehane took third on the wild pitch, then motored home when the throw was made to first base.
The Spartans tied the game in the fourth without a hit. Caleb King and Shawn Satterfield both were hit by pitches. Courtesy runner Tyler Sinko and Satterfield pulled off a double steal, and Sinko beat a throw home on a fielder’s choice ground ball by Brian McDermott.
A two-run fifth put Saint Mark’s on top. Mosher walked with one out, and after a strikeout, Michael Smyth singled off the third base bag. Mosher scored on a wild pitch, and King added an RBI single.
Mosher doubled in the bottom of the sixth to bring home McDermott and Lehane after the Sals had cut the Spartans’ lead to 4-3 in the top half of the inning. Saint Mark’s had a relief pitcher ready to go in the seventh, but Keane finished strong, getting two groundouts to third baseman Cole Sims and a game-ending ground ball to Lehane, who played outstanding defense all afternoon.
Keane finished with three strikeouts and no walks. The Spartans (11-3) are on the road Saturday at 11 a.m. at St. Georges.
Steinrock and McSorley each had two hits for the Sals, who fell to 7-4. They host Cape Henlopen on Saturday at noon at their temporary home, Dyer Field in Claymont.
Photos by Mike Lang.
