Cieszko, Ketch lead offense in opener against Suffolk

EAST BOSTON, Mass. (Sunday, April 11, 2021) - Salve Regina University improved to 7-0-1 on the season with a 4-1 win at Suffolk University  in a non-league baseball matchup of Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) members on Sunday afternoon at East Boston Memorial Park.

The Seahawks scored three runs in the first and added another in the fourth. The top three in the batting order - sophomore Matt D'Amato (Midland Park, N.J.), senior Anthony Cieszko (Franklin Lakes, N.J.), and Dylan Ketch (Clinton, Conn.) - accounted for all the runs scored. Cieszko and Ketch both had two hits and drove in a run apiece. D'Amato was on base three times with two walks and a single. The top three each stole a base as well.

Three Seahawk pitcher limited the Rams to four hits and an unearned run. Starter Dominic Perachi (Washington Depot, Conn.) went four innings for the win with four strikeouts. Senior Ryan O'Donnell (Saunderstown, R.I.) retired all six batters he faced over two frames, and closer Andrew Roman (Monson, Mass.) earned the save in the seventh.

In Game Two, Salve Regina took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on a Sean O'Malley (Darien, Conn.) double that plated Cieszko while Ketch was out at home right behind the senior infielder.

Salve Regina starter Michael Mathews (West Hartford, Conn.) blanked the Rams in his three innings of work.

Suffolk tied the score in the fifth and two more runs in the seventh gave the Rams a lead they would not surrender. Michael Muscarella started and pitched one-run ball for 7.2 innings; EJ Birch earned the save.

Suffolk salvages the split with Salve Regina to move to 6-4 on the year. The Seahawks suffer their first defeat in 695 days (since May 18, 2019 at Trinity College).

Salve Regina next plays on Saturday when Roger Williams visits Newport to begin a five-game series.