Johnson and Wales Athletics photo

NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. - For the first time since 1998, the Johnson & Wales baseball team has earned top spot in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference after a sweep of Anna Maria on Saturday afternoon. The number two seed Wildcats won game one, 8-3, before closing out a 6-5 win in the nightcap to earn the conference crown under third year head coach Kevin Casey.

In the opener, JWU took a 3-2 lead into the 8th inning when Raimiel Rodriguez plated a pair of runs with a single to left pushing the Wildcats in front 5-2. A ground rule double to left from Armani Henderson and Joe Maracic reaching on an error tallied three more runs. Senior Steve Rocchio surrendered one earned run on the mound in six innings pitch, striking out two and allowing just five hits. Junior Dane DellaValle came out for the final three innings and earned his first save of the season, striking out three and allowing just one run en route to the 8-3 win.

In game two, JWU trailed 4-1 heading into the bottom half of the fifth inning scoring on a wild pitch in the third. Consecutive singles by Patrick Fleming and Justin Perez brought Colby Greenhalgh to the plate and Greenhalgh delivered a single to left bringing Fleming around to cut the AMCATS lead in half, 4-2. Rodriguez stepped in and launched a homer to dead center to put the Wildcats up 5-4. Justn Perez lifted a sacrifice fly to center in the 8th for what would prove to be the game-winning run as JWU held on for the 6-5 win. Jake McDonough entered the game in relief in the fifth and proceeded to shut Anna Maria down, surrendering a 9th inning homerun and striking out six. McDonough allowed two hits in his first four innings pitched and earned the win to seal the championship for the Wildcats.