Phoenix, Ariz. — March 13, 2012 — Freshman Steve Starr went 3-for-4, scored three runs, and knocked in two more to lead his Springfield College baseball team to a 12-5 victory over Marian University of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin this afternoon at the Russ Matt Invitational in Phoenix. The win raises SC’s record to 3-1 overall in the early part of this season.

Sophomore righthander Eric Chase (Vernon, Conn.) hurled his team’s first seven innings, giving up seven hits and all five runs, four earned. He received credit for the victory.

Senior righthander Craig Zysk (Shelton, Conn.) faced six batters in the eighth and ninth to get the save for the Pride.

Marian pounced first, getting three runs in the top of the first inning.

But Springfield came back with two in the second, with one run scoring on a throwing error, and a second scoring on an RBI walk by Starr, the centerfielder from Lebanon, Conn.

The Sabres, now 2-3, scored singletons in the third and fourth to retake a two-run lead. But SC tallied twice in the bottom of the fourth to close to within one, 5-4. Starr and sophomore catcher Sean Smith (Broken Arrow, Okla.) produced RBI-singles in that frame.

In the fifth, freshman Shane O’Leary (Kings Park, N.Y.) doubled to left-center for two runs to put SC up for good at 6-5.

Then in the sixth, SC used its fourth 2-run inning to elevate its lead to 8-5. Sophomore Mike McGowan (Franklin, Mass.) knocked in one run, and then junior outfielder Kyle DiFranco (East Longmeadow, Mass.) doubled home another.

SC closed the scoring in the eighth with four more. Sophomore Frank Calabrese (E. Longmeadow, Mass.) singled in one run, and then senior Karl Quist (New Preston, Conn.) doubled in three more runs to make it 12-5.

On Wednesday, the Pride will begin its second half of its trip to Phoenix by playing Dordt College of Sioux Center, Iowa.

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