CCC Baseball: Seahawks face Hawks in Pod A Finals

MAY 1-2, 2021 BEST-OF-THREE CCC POD A FINALS REYNOLDS FIELD • NEWPORT, R.I.
ROGER WILLIAMS HAWKS (20-10; 11-5 CCC)	SALVE REGINA SEAHAWKS (11-4-1; 7-2-1 CCC)
SERIES Salve Regina leads 53-34-1 LIVE STATS Game 1 Game 2 Game 3^ LIVE VIDEO http://bit.ly/ytBSBs
PRINTABLE BRACKET
^ if necessary

NEWPORT, R.I. - The Salve Regina University baseball team seeks to make its fifth straight appearance in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) championship series, and will host Roger Williams University in a best-of-three series for the Pod A Finals. Salve Regina seeks its 11th title all-time (first in 1987; most recent in 2019 against the Hawks), and Roger Williams seeks its second championship and first since 2002. The Hawks swept a pair against the Seahawks (6-1 and 14-4) in Bristol on May 5, 2002, to win their only CCC baseball crown. The teams split their four games in the COVID-abbreviated regular-season in Pod A with Roger Williams winning first games (seven innings) in Newport and Bristol, and Salve Regina winning second games (nine innings) at home and away.

2021 regular-season meetings:
Sat., Apr 17 [1] Roger Williams wins, 4-2
Sat., Apr 17 [2] Salve Regina wins, 4-3
Sun., Apr 18 [1] Roger Williams wins, 11-6
Sun., Apr 18 [2] Salve Regina wins, 11-6

2021 post-season meetings:
Sat., May 1 [1] Salve Regina wins, 9-5
Sat., May 1 [2] Roger Williams wins, 12-4

LAST TIME OUT FOR SALVE REGINA – SALVE REGINA 11, ROGER WILLIAMS 6  - APRIL 18, 2021

• After a loss in Game One of a twinbill at Bristol, Salve Regina scored all the runs it would need in the top of the first as leadoff man, Matt D'Amato (Midland Park, N.J.) reached on an error before a walk to Brandon Grover (Ashland, Mass.), and a bunt single by Dylan Ketch (Clinton, Conn.) loaded the bases. That brought up Anthony Cieszko (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) who hit a rocket back through the box that popped out of the glove of the Hawks starter, Ben Bonavita. He successfully knocked it down and tried to throw home and get the lead runner. However, he threw it away and a second run scored on the error. After a ground out, Michael Breen (Auburn, Mass.) brought in another run on a squeeze bunt for the second out of the inning. Jared Beniers (Abington, Mass.) followed that up with a run-scoring double and after a walk, Dustin Siqueira (Trumbull, Conn.) hit a home run, his first of the year and only the fourth long ball allowed by Hawks pitching all season, to make the score 7-0.
• The Seahawks starter, Zach Dionne (Tolland, Conn.), did not pitch long enough to qualify for the win, instead it went to Ryan O'Donnell (Saunderstown, R.I.) who walked a man and struck out two in 1.1 innings. Zach Lopez (New Canaan, Conn.) threw the final three innings of shutout ball to earn his first save of the season.
• Dustin Siqueira: 1-for-4, HR, 3 RBI
• Matt D'Amato: 2-for-6, 3 RS
• Brandon Grover: 2-for-4, BB, 2 RS
• Dylan Ketch: 1-for-5, RBI
• Anthony Cieszko: 1-for-4, RBI, BB, RS
• Sean O'Malley: 2-for-5, RBI
• Jared Beniers: 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, 2 RS
• Gianfranco Messina: 1-for-4, BB, RS
• Ryan O'Donnell: (W, 1-0), 1.1 IP, 0 ER, 2 K
• Zach Lopez: (Sv, 1), 3.0 IP, 2 K

LAST TIME OUT FOR ROGER WILLIAMS -  ROGER WILLIAMS 12, SUFFOLK 5 - APRIL 28, 2021

• Ben Bonavita blasted a grand slam in the first inning to get the offense rolling and Roger Williams University baseball team never looked back as the Hawks defeated Suffolk University, 12-5, in its regular season finale on Wednesday afternoon at East Boston Memorial Park.
• The Hawks utilized 17 different position players and seven different pitchers, and banged out 11 hits including six for extra-bases in their final tune-up before the start of the CCC Tournament on Saturday.
• Ben Bonavita: 2-for-3, GS, BB, 5 RBI, 2 RS 
• Joey Gulino: 2-for-3, 2 2B, SB, BB, 3 RBI, RS
• Eddy Jackson: 2-for-3, 2 2B, BB, 2 RBI
• Matt Massaro: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RS
• Conor Gaughan: (W, 1-0), 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 0 K

NEWPORT, R.I. (May 1, 2021) - Salve Regina University took a first step towards reaching its fifth straight Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) championship series with a 9-5 victory in Game One of a Pod A best-of-three series with Roger Williams. The Hawks forced a deciding game (first pitch noon on Sunday) with a 12-4 triumph in Game Two.

Game One Summary

Seahawk lefty starter Patrick Maybach (Saunderstown, R.I.) allowed single runs in each of the first three frames as Roger Williams (20-10) built a 3-1 lead before Salve Regina (11-4-1) began its comeback with a run in the third (on a balk) and three in the fifth. Freshman designated hitter Brandon Grover (Ashland, Mass.) slugged her first collegiate home run to put Salve Regina on the board in the bottom of the second. Anthony Cieszko (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) had an RBI single in the three-run fifth after two had scored on a throwing error. Zach Barlok (Cheshire, Conn.) led off the sixth with a blast down the left field line into the Seahawk bullpen. In the same frame, Dylan Ketch (Clinton, Conn.) drove in Matt D'Amato (Midland Park, Conn.) and Dustin Siqueira (Trumbull, Conn.) for an 8-3 lead.

For the Seahawks

• Matt D'Amato: 2-for-5, 3 RS
• Dylan Ketch: 3-for-4, SAC, SB, RS, 2 RBI
• Brandon Grover: 1-for-3, HR, RBI, 2 RS
• Zach Barlok: 3-for-3, HR, 2B, RS, RBI
• Patrick Maybach: (W, 2-0), 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 K

For the Hawks

• Joey Gulino: 1-for-3, 2B, SB, RS ... now 31-for-31 in stolen base attempts
• Jack Morin: 1-for-4, 2 RS
• Tyler Cedeno: 0-for-4, 2 RBI, SF

Game Two Summary

Brendan Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.) had an RBI groundout in the bottom of the first to give the Hawks another 1-0 lead. Righty starter Ben Bonavita (East Longmeadow, Mass.) hit Dustin Siqueira (Trumbull, Conn.) with the bases loaded (two walks and another hit by pitch) to tie the score at 1-1 in the second. Jenkins then had the big blow with a three-run homer in the bottom half of the frame. He finished with seven runs batted in. Reliever Nick Harper (Westwood, N.J.) worked 4.2 innings from the second through the sixth allowing just one hit for the win.

For the Seahawks

• Brandon Grover: 2-for-2, 2 RBI, 2 BB
• Kyle Brown: 1.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H
• Eddie Hardiman: 1.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H

For the Hawks

• Tyler Cedeno: 0-for-4, 2 RBI, SF
• Brandon Jenkins: 2-for-4, HR, 7 RBI, RS, BB
• Ben Bonavita: 1-for-5, HR
• Nick Harper: (W, 1-0), 4.2 IP, 0 R, 1 H

The teams will meet in a deciding game three tomorrow at noon on Reynolds Field.

SALUTE TO THE SEAHAWK SENIORS

Salve Regina University baseball bestows best wishes for six seniors who have contributed greatly to the success of the Seahawks over the previous four-plus years, and now join their fellow alumni:

• Zach Barlok (Cheshire, Conn.) | Major: Business Administration | Video
• Kyle Brown (Point Lookout, N.Y.) | Major: Business Administration | Video
• Anthony Cieszko (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) | Major: Business Administration | Video
• Zach Dionne (Tolland, Conn.) | Major: Finance, Business Administration | Video
• Madden Ward (Clinton, Conn.) | Major: Marketing | Video
• Natalie Reid (South Dennis, Mass.) | Major: Psychology | Video

ROGER THAT

• The Hawks have played the most games among CCC teams in 2021 (28).
• After Dustin Siqueira touched all bases for only the fourth home run allowed by Hawks hurlers through their first 25 games, Nichols College blasted six round trippers in a doubleheader sweep at Dudley last week.
• Brandon Jenkins (.438 BA) leads the Hawks with 42 hits in 96 at bats and a team-high 37 RBI. He also has eight doubles and five home runs.
• Ben Bonavita's grand slam on Wednesday was his sixth round tripper of the season.
• Danny Roth ranks second among all CCC players with nine dingers.
• Kyle Shaefer has one start in 2021 and it was a complete-game shutout, 3-0, at Curry College on April 3.
• Joey Gulino has stolen 30 bases (ranks first in nation among Division III players) and has not been caught all season.
• Chris Flynn has four saves in 11 appearances.
• Justin Garcia (33.0 IP) and Connor Hewlette (31.2 IP) have the most innings pitched on the Roger Williams staff. Garcia's 15.55 strikeouts per nine innings leads all conference hurlers.

SALVE REGINA BASEBALL FACT(S) YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT

• The Seahawks have won three of the last four conference championships including back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017.
• Dominic Perachi ranks second in the league in strikeouts per nine innings (13.81) while Patrick Maybach has the sixth-best rate in the league (10.90).
• Dylan Ketch leads all Seahawks with a .417 batting average that includes 20 hits in 48 at bats and a team-high six bases on balls.
• Seahawks have hit five home runs in their 14 games with no one having more than one - Matt D'Amato, Michael Breen, Sean O'Malley, Dustin Siqueira, Tyler Cannoe.
• Andrew Roman has two saves in six appearances.
• Joe Escandon (14.2 IP), Patrick Maybach (14.2 IP), and Dominic Perachi (14.1 IP) have pitched 40 percent of the Seahawk innings in 2021.
• O'Malley and Anthony Cieszko share the team lead with 14 RBI apiece.
• Salve Regina has hit twice as many doubles (25-11) than it has allowed.
• Zach Barlok has the lone triple in the Seahawk lineup.
• Holden Ferrari has appeared in half of all the Seahawk games this year (seven of 14).
• You wear it well - 11 different Seahawks have been plunked by opposing pitchers 22 times in 14 games, with Jared Beniers (five) and Justice Welch (four) wearing the most pitches.

COACH'S CORNER

Salve Regina head coach Eric Cirella '05 on his Seahawks defending their 2019 title: "This is the time of year you love and this is why we do what we do. From here on out you have to perform or go home, from a team standpoint. You have to bring your best effort every time you step on the field. Saturday will be a matchup of two very good teams and regional rivals. They are well coached and have some talented players and I feel the same about our squad. The challenge for us will be getting back to form after two weeks without being able to practice. I think if we can come out and not let the game get too fast, we will be fine. But throw the record books and regular season out the window, this should be a battle between two teams who aren't very fond of each other."

ABOUT THE SERIES

• NO SPECTATORS ALLOWED
• Today marks 721 days since the last CCC baseball postseason contests (May 11, 2019) when Salve Regina took two from Roger Williams to capture the crown.
• Roger Williams will be the "home" team in Game Two and Salve Regina will bat first on Reynolds Field.
• The winner of Pod A will play another best-of-three series next weekend against the winner of Pod B (Endicott College or Suffolk University). Salve Regina would host the championship series if it advances.

SMILES ON FACES PUT SMILES ON FACES

https://www.salveathletics.com/general/2020-21/releases/20210430h02pr4