Baseball Drops Season Opener Against Endicott, 8-3

THE BASICS

Salem State, 3 vs. Endicott, 8

Records: 

Salem State Vikings (0-1)

Endicott College Gulls (2-4)

Location: Boston, Mass. 

Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2026

THE LEAD: The Salem State baseball team kicked off its 2026 season with a contest against cross-town opponent, Endicott College, but unfortunately fell, 8-3, on Wednesday evening. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After Endicott got on the board in the bottom half of the first, Salem responded in the top of the second and evened things at one courtesy of a Jack Doyle (Salem, Mass.) RBI that plated Ethan Stepputtis (Prospect, Conn.) after he ripped a triple down the right field line to lead off the inning. 
• The Gulls responded in the second after a TJ Liponis double to left that made it 2-1 going into the fourth. In the top half of the frame, the Vikings grabbed their first lead thanks to a two-run inning. Stepputtis led off the scoring after recording an RBI, and in the next at-bat, Doyle singled home Devin Fuegen (Wolcott, Conn.), who had singled earlier in the inning.
• For the next 2 2/3 innings, Salem pitcher Nick Krompegal (Bristol, Conn.) kept the Gulls bats quiet by allowing just one hit while striking out five. However, with two outs in the seventh, Endicott evened things back at three from a Liponis RBI. 
• In the eighth after Salem went down in order in the top half of the frame, the Gulls pulled ahead for their largest lead thanks to a five-run inning highlighted by a three-run RBI triple by Kyle Grabowski.
• Salem would not go quietly after Stepputtis led off the inning with a walk with no outs. After two quick groundouts, Antonio Belgrove (Stamford, Conn.) drew a walk of his own to have runners on first and second with two outs. Unfortunately, Belgrove was picked off, and Endicott took home an 8-3 win.

 INSIDE THE NUMBERS: 

• Doyle led the Salem offense with his first two career RBIs. Stepputtis was the other lone Viking to drive in a run on Wednesday.
• Salem starter Matt Walling (Plantsville, Conn.) ended up with the no-decision on Wednesday after going 3.0 IP and allowing four hits, two runs (one earned), and striking out one. Alex Metznik (Westford, Mass.) took the loss after going 0.2 IP, allowing five runs (three earned). 
• Grabowski and Liponis led the Endicott offense with three and two RBIs, respectively. 
• Endicott starter Jake Harmony also earned a no-decision after tossing 3.2 IP and allowing four hits, three runs (two earned), and striking out four. Ben Gill earned the win for the Gulls by going 2.0 IP, allowing zero hits and runs while fanning four.

UP NEXT:

Salem kicks off its trip down south to Florida for a week's worth of games on Sunday, March 15, at noon in a doubleheader against Springfield College.