WILMINGTON — Ryan James tripled to deep left field with two outs in the bottom of the second, giving Salesianum’s baseball team a lead it would not relinquish in a 7-4 win over Saint Mark’s on April 13. The Sals remain undefeated after the victory.
The Sals took a 1-0 lead in the first on an unearned run, only to watch the Spartans battle back in the second on a two-run knock for James Baffone. But Sals starter Zach Czarnecki struck out Michael Clarke to end the top of the second, and his offense came through in their half.
Saint Mark’s pitcher Garrett Quinn picked up a strikeout to open the second, but he then hit Vincent Offutt. The pattern repeated itself, as another Sals strikeout was followed by Jude Carter getting hit by a pitch. James scored both of those runners when he drove a pitch to the base of the fence in left-center, just out of the reach of Spartans outfielder Todd Gilardi.
Czarnecki walked, and John Dunion followed with a bloop double to left. James and Czarnecki scored to increase the lead to 5-2.
That lead didn’t remain at three runs for long. With one out in the top of the third, Tyler Satterfield and Quinn singled to put runners at first and second. Czarnecki recorded a strikeout and could see his way out of the inning with no damage, but Hayden Fauerbach slammed a double to left-center, cutting the Sals’ lead to a single run.
That was it, however for the Spartans’ offense. After surrendering seven hits in the first two innings, Czarnecki allowed just an infield single in the fourth to Clarke and a two-out double in the fifth to Kyle Reader.
Czarnecki played a part in the Sals’ final run of the day. He singled in the bottom of the fourth and left for courtesy runner Liam O’Brien, who would come around to score on an infield hit by Deuce Rzucidlo.
Czarnecki threw a complete game for the Sals. In addition, he was on base all four times he was up on two hits and two walks. The Sals improved to 6-0 and will play Sussex Tech on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Frawley Stadium.
Baffone and Fauerbach each had two hits and two RBI for the Spartans, who fell to 7-2. Saint Mark’s is off until April 23, when they travel to Smyrna for a 1 p.m. first pitch.
All photos by Mike Lang.
