WASHINGTON D.C. - #2/#3 Salve Regina University opened its 2025 season at Catholic University in the Matt Kurkjian ALS Awareness Invitational and the Seahawks finished with an 11-2 decision over the host Cardinals on Saturday afternoon at Nationals Youth Baseball Academy in Washington D.C.

​INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Finals: Salve Regina 11, Catholic 2
Records: Salve Regina (1-0, 0-0 NEWMAC), Catholic (0-1, 0-0 Landmark)
All-Time Series: Evan O'Rourke belted four singles and drove in three runs as the #13/19 Salve Regina University baseball team opened 2024 with a 6-0 win against host Catholic University at Talbot Field in the first of six contests in the Matt Kurkjian ALS Awareness Invitational. Sean Mulligan and Kyle Carozza combined for the shutout while striking out 10 Cardinals in the nine innings on the mound. In 2023, Catholic won the first two meetings between the two schools on the diamond, 6-3 and 6-5.

​SUMMARY​

• T1 - Matt Neal led the game off with a base on balls and was lifted for pinch-runner (soon to be shortstop, defensively) Nate Ruehs. With one out, Evan O'Rourke singled through the left side and Christian Homa loaded the bases with his single through the right side. Hunter Yaworski's sacrifice fly produced the season's first run as Ruehs crossed the plate. | SEAHAWKS 1, CARDINALS 0
• T2 - With one out, catcher Brady Smolinski stroked a 2-1 pitch over the left-field fence. | SEAHAWKS 2, CARDINALS 0
• B2 - Sammy Burman led off with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a wild pitch. In a 10-pitch battle between Logan Eilbacher and Seahawk starting pitcher Kyle Carozza, the Cardinal pulled a 3-2 pitch through the left side to score Burman from second. | SEAHAWKS 2, CARDINALS 1
• T8 - Nate Ruehs doubled to lead off and Brandon Grover followed with a two-run homer to right field. | SEAHAWKS 4, CARDINALS 1
• T9 - Tyler Petrosino led off with a walk and Brady Smolinski had an opposite field single. A walk to Shane Williams loaded the bases and Brandon Grover drove in his third run of the game with a single to right field. Evan O'Rourke doubled to left field to bring home Smolinski, Williams, and Grover. Christian Homa traded places with O'Rourke for a 9-1 lead. Homa scored on Wil McCarthy's single and Petrosino delivered McCarthy with a double. | SEAHAWKS 11, CARDINALS 1
• B9 - Andrew Wertz now pitching for Jason Arrigo. Wertz got the first two Cardinals out on a swinging strike out and a grounder to Nate Ruehs at short. A base on balls was followed by a single to short and then two more walks. | SEAHAWKS 11, CARDINALS 2

​NOTEWORTHY​

• Kyle Carozza (W, 1-0) earned the victory in his second career start while striking out six in five and two-thirds innings.
• Six Seahawks had a multi-hit game led by Evan O'Rourke who had three base hits including a double and three runs batted in.Brandon Grover also drove in three runs for the Seahawks.
• Brandon Grover also drove in three runs for the Seahawks.
• Multi-hit games: O'Rourke (3), Ruehs (2), Smolinski (2), McCarthy (2), Homa (2), Grover (2).
• Jason Arrigo faced eight batters in relief and struck out two while allowing only one Cardinal to reach base.
• Evan O'Rourke has seven base hits and six RBI in his last two season-openers, both against Catholic University.

NEXT UP

Salve Regina gets an earlier start on Sunday (11 a.m.) against Ithaca College in the third game of the Matt Kurkjian ALS Awareness Invitational at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy with a live stream on FloCollege.