Perachi dominates with 16 Ks; Seahawks win opener, 7-0

KINGSTON, R.I. (March 5, 2022) - Salve Regina University junior pitcher Dominic Perachi (Washington Depot, Conn.) pitched a one-hitter over seven innings while striking out 16 batters, including an "Immaculate Inning" in the top of the first with nine strikes on nine pitches for three outs, as the Seahawks defeated the Wildcats of Johnson & Wales University, 7-0, at Bill Beck Field on the campus of the University of Rhode Island.

Reliever Zach Lopez (New Canaan, Conn.) faced the final six batters and struck out four in a perfect two frames to total 20 combined Ks with Perachi. In what appears to be a Seahawk pitcher's paradise, Salve Regina hurlers have struck out a total of 42 opposing batters in 18 innings on the mound at Bill Beck Field - previous game here was the "home" opener of 2019, a 5-0 loss to Fitchburg State University with Patrick Maybach (Saunderstown, R.I.) and Will Ginsberg (Sharon, Mass.) combining for 22 Ks against the Falcons.

SEAHAWK FLASHBACK: Maybach and Ginsberg had also combined for 17 Ks in the 2019 season-opening 7-1 win at Stevens Institute of Technology, with Maybach tossing the program's first "Immaculate Inning" in the bottom of the second.

Salve Regina (1-0) left fielder Matt D'Amato (Midland Park, N.J.) led off the bottom of the first with a triple to center field and came home with the season's first run on a sacrifice fly from sophomore Brandon Grover (Ashland, Mass.). The Seahawks added three more runs in the next frame as junior first baseman Tyler Cannoe (Schenectady, N.Y.) led off with a walk and scored on Tyler Petrosino's (Beverly, Mass.) triple to right center. Michael Breen (Auburn, Mass.) followed with a single to bring Petrosino to the plate, and after the Wildcats turned a double play, D'Amato collected his second base hit and moved to third as Grover reached on an error. Grover got himself into a pickle which allowed D'Amato to score the fourth run of the game before the final out of the second was recorded.

In the third, third baseman Sean O'Malley (Darien, Conn.) and catcher Dylan Ketch (Clinton, Conn.) both singled with one out and O'Malley moved to third after Cannoe reached on a fielder's choice. Cannoe copied Grover on the basepaths and O'Malley crossed the plate for another Seahawk run.

Johnson & Wales (0-1) featured a new pitcher starting every inning, made no changes during a frame, and kept the Seahawks from scoring in innings four through six. Wil McCarthy's (Pembroke, Mass.) two-out triple brought Grover home for a 6-0 lead in the seventh.

Petrosino scored the game's final run when Chris Veneruso (Westport, Conn.) delivered a clutch two-out single to left field in the eighth inning.

Seahawks return to Bill Beck Field on Sunday, March 6, for a twinbill with New England College; first pitch against the Pilgrims will be 10 a.m. The Wildcats have their home opener in Providence on Monday against UMass Dartmouth (5:30 p.m.).