CLAYMONT — After a 1-3 start to the season, the Salesianum baseball team has found its stride. The Sals received another strong pitching performance, this one a complete-game three-hitter, from Matt Speicher in a 3-1 victory over Middletown on April 26 at Dyer Field in Claymont. It was their fifth straight win.
Speicher, a senior lefty, struck out five of the first six batters he faced before running into a bit of trouble in the third. Brady Stenvik opened the frame with a triple to deep center field, but after a strikeout, Speicher helped himself by throwing Stenvik out at the plate on an attempted suicide squeeze by John Laird. The Cavaliers salvaged a run, however, when a long double to right-center by Quincy Martin scored Laird.
Meanwhile, Middletown starter Frank Cruz-Gonzalez was putting up zeroes as well. The Sals loaded the bases in the first with no outs, but Cruz-Gonzalez then struck out the side. He allowed two base runners in the third but escaped that jam as well. The Sals finally got on the board in the fourth.
Jack Rossi reached on a bunt single to open the inning, and with one out, Landon Johnston was hit by a pitch. Michael Dell’Oso moved the runners with a sacrifice bunt, and Speicher walked to load the bases. Luke Steinrock also worked a walk, picking up a run batted in as Rossi crossed the plate.
The Sals added their final two runs in the fifth. The leadoff hitter in the inning, Matt McSorley, bombed a home run to left-center field, no easy feat at spacious Dyer Field. With one out, Rossi reached on an error and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Johnston brought Rossi home with a single to left.
Speicher set down the final seven Cavaliers to come to the plate. The final two outs came on ground balls back to Speicher.
McSorley and Jimmy Gray each had two hits for Salesianum, who finished with six. Speicher finished with 10 strikeouts. The Sals (6-3) travel to Dagsboro on Saturday for a game at Indian River on Saturday at noon.
Cruz-Gonzalez had six strikeouts for the Cavs, who fell to 4-5-1. They are home against William Penn on April 30 against William Penn.
Photos by Mike Lang.
