Vikings End Spring Break Trip With Four Straight Wins

Jose Rodriguez '24, Staff Writer | Media & Communications

AUBARNDALE, Fla.- Owen Duggan (Billerica, Mass.) went 4 for 4 with an impressive six runs batted in, including a double and triple, leading Salem State to a convincing 22-10 victory over Maine-Presque Isle in their Florida finale on Friday. The Vikings had a successful spring break, finishing with a 5-3 record. The Owls' drop to 1-6. 

Salem State pitcher Matt Walling (Plantsville, Conn.) earned the victory by pitching 1.1 innings and only allowing one hit. Meanwhile, Presque Isle's Jonah Baude picked up the loss after pitching 3.1 innings and conceding eight runs, seven of which were earned.

Duggan and Nolan Currier (Maynard, Mass.) went a combined 7 for 9 with eight runs batted in.  

The Owls', Joey Blake (Stanardsville, VA) went 2 for 3 with three RBI. The team's efforts were further bolstered as Timothy Burns (Green Cove Springs, FL) and Blake, combined went 4-for-5 with five RBI.

The game started with the Owls leading 5-2 after the second inning. However, the Vikings' scored 20 runs between the third and sixth innings against Baude. They scored at least five runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings. By the end of the sixth inning, the Vikings had a commanding 22-8 lead. Although Brady Boucher (Taunton, Mass.)  pitched the seventh inning in relief, giving up two runs and an earned run, the Vikings' lead was too insurmountable for the Owls to overcome.

The Vikings' relievers, consisted of Greg Gentle (Arlington, Mass.), Anthony Butkevicius (Prospect, Conn.), Walling and Boucher, who combined for 5.1 innings in relief. Together, they recorded six strikeouts and conceded only one earned run and five unearned.

On Tuesday, March 19th, Salem State will return home to take on Wentworth at The Central Campus Baseball Field. Game time is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.