Three Cranston natives contribute for Wildcats

By Brenden Soares
Posted 5/10/17

Three Cranston natives suited up for the Johnson & Wales baseball team this spring, and all three earned all-conference recognition from the Great Northeast Athletic Conference on Monday. Leading the way was Brandon Budlong, who was the

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Three Cranston natives contribute for Wildcats

Posted

Three Cranston natives suited up for the Johnson & Wales baseball team this spring, and all three earned all-conference recognition from the Great Northeast Athletic Conference on Monday.

Leading the way was Brandon Budlong, who was the undisputed workhorse of the Wildcat starting rotation by logging 61.1 innings of work and compiling five complete games on his way to a 6-3 record and second-team honors.

In his 10 appearances, the sophomore led the JWU staff with 51 strikeouts, including a haul of 11 in a 10-0 whitewash of Albertus Magnus on April 23 in which he took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning.

Not to be outdone was Lou Umberto, who wrapped up his collegiate career in style, hitting at a .342 clip while also lacing seven doubles and driving home 24 runs.

The Hendricken product joined Budlong on the second team by also being helpful with the glove, contributing to a team-high 37 double plays and pacing the Wildcats with 131 assists.

Cranston East graduate Ivan Reyes was tabbed to the third team on the strength of his defense, forged in part by his middle infield partnership with Umberto that contributed to his 110 assists and .969 fielding percentage.

The ex-Thunderbolt also chipped in at the plate with a solid .274 average and six doubles, while the 24 walks that he drew placed him in a tie for second on the team.

The Johnson & Wales nine saw their season come to a close on Sunday, falling in heartbreaking fashion in the GNAC championship game in a 1-0 outcome in favor of Suffolk.

Luke Ronchi’s base hit with one out in the seventh inning that scored Matt Brenner was all the offense that the Rams needed to take the crown.

The closest the Wildcats came to tying the game came in the following inning as Armani Henderson was left stranded 90 feet from home when Greg Joubert finished the frame on a called third strike.

                          Salisbury, Rams to play in Division III Tournament

There will be at least two more games this spring for Cranston West alumna Lauren Salisbury and the Framingham State softball team, who clinched a spot in the Division III tournament by virtue of its 5-4 triumph over Westfield State in the MASCAC championship on Sunday.

The former Falcon went 1-for-3 in the decider, kick-starting the Rams at the plate with a lead-off double in the bottom of the third that led to her scoring the first of three runs in the frame.

Westfield State responded by scoring the next four runs, going ahead in the top of the seventh courtesy of a passed ball with the bases loaded.

However, the Owls were unable to close the deal, as Framingham State walked off with a two-out single by Anna Dziok that plated the tying and title-winning runs.

The Rams will open regional play on Friday against Rowan, who earned an at-large bid on the strength of a 31-9 record that was sullied by a four-game losing run at the end of the regular season.

Rounding out the four-team regional field is Babson, who will be hosting the regional on the heels of winning the NEWMAC for the first time since 2006, and Lesley, champions of the New England Collegiate Conference for the third time in the last five seasons.

Salisbury will be entering regionals with a .274 batting average, 14 runs batted in and nine doubles, the latter placing her in a tie for the team lead.

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