WILMINGTON – Reece Bolton and Alex Hinton combined for a three-hit shutout as Salesianum defeated Cape Henlopen, 2-0, in nonconference baseball on March 27 in Wilmington. It was the first game of the season for the Sals.
Bolton threw five strong innings, allowing two hits and striking out 10. He ran into some trouble in the third, as the Vikings loaded the bases with two outs on a hit and two errors. But Cape’s Lucas Johnson lined out to center field, ending the threat.
Hinton came on the in the sixth and surrendered a leadoff infield single to Ryan Gibbons. After a sacrifice bunt, Johnson walked, but Hinton got the second out on a strikeout. He then struck out Jackson Ostroski, but the ball bounced away from the Salesianum catcher, and Ostroski reached, loading the bases. Mason Carrow, however, grounded out to shortstop.
Sallies didn’t fare much better offensively against Vikings starter Mason Fluharty of Johnson, who relieved him in the sixth, but they did enough. Joe Setting opened the second with a single, and Matt Querey came in as a courtesy runner for the Sals’ catcher. Querey scored from second on a single to right field by Joe Sheets.
The Sals doubled their lead in the bottom of the sixth. Dylan Rees started the frame with a triple down the right-field line, and he slid home safely on a sacrifice fly to center by the next batter, Dominic Ragazzo.
Hinton retired the Vikings in order in the seventh with a strikeout and two grounders to pick up the save.
Salesianum improved to 1-0 and plays two games this Saturday in New York. First up is St. Michael Academy (N.Y.) at 12:30 p.m., followed by Holy Cross-Flushing (N.Y.) at 3:30.
Cape fell to 1-1 and visits Lake Forest on Friday at 4:15 p.m.
