Box Score NEWPORT, R.I.--Sophomore Connor Hayes broke a 3-3 tie with a two-run double in the top of the fifth inning to lift the Western New England University baseball team to a 5-4 victory Saturday over host Salve Regina University in the Golden Bears' Commonwealth Coast Conference opener at Reynolds Field. Game two of the scheduled doubleheader was postponed due to rain; no make-up date announced.

Western New England improves to 5-7 on the season while the Seahawks drop to 8-6 overall and 2-1 in the CCC.

Hayes led WNE with two hits and junior transfer Matt Anziano went 2-for-4 with a run batted in and two runs scored. Both teams had nine hits on the day.

Joe Haley led the SRU offense by going 3-for-4, including two doubles, and three RBI.

Fifth-year senior Mike Lospinuso (2-1) picked up the win for WNE by pitching a complete game. He scattered nine hits and struck out four while allowing three earned runs and working around three walks.

"Today was a good team win," said Western New England coach Dan Gomez. "We had a lot of quality at-bats throughout the lineup, including Connor delivering the big hit we've been looking for.

"As always, Lospo was ready to compete and he went out there to set the tone for us on the mound."

Salve stormed back from a 3-0 deficit with two runs in the third and one more in the next frame. Haley put the Seahawks on the scoreboard with a two-run double to left field and then Tyler Colby scored an unearned run on an error after leading off the fourth with an infield single to third base.

The Golden Bears cut down two potential SRU runs from scoring when senior Taylor Searles threw out Haley at home in the third trying to come around on a Dominic Di Sano single, and then Searles did it again in the fourth, this time against Tim Harris trying to score on a Hunter Sleeper single. In both instances, Searles' two outfield assists ended the inning and prevented further damage.

Western New England struck quickly with three runs in the first, taking advantage of a costly error. Anziano had a RBI-single for a 1-0 lead, and then Anziano and sophomore Kevin Marciano crossed the plate on a dropped fly ball.

Trailing 5-3 in the seventh, SRU got a run back when Haley singled up the middle to plate Anthony Conte with two outs. With two runners still on base, Lospinuso got Di Sano to fly out to center for the final out and seal the victory.

Salve Regina starting pitcher Vincent Roth lost for the first time in four decisions, scattering seven hits, three walks and five runs (two earned). He had five strikeouts.

Western New England is due to play at Gordon College in Wenham, Mass., in a conference twinbill at 2 p.m. Monday, as a make-up date from March 24.