LOCAL CONNECTIONS: Cimini hits first career HR at BC

Apr. 4—Boston College baseball senior shortstop Vince Cimini (Scranton Prep) had two hits, including his first collegiate home run, in a 3-1 victory over Georgia Tech.

Cimini's home run was a solo shot down the left-field line leading off the bottom of the third inning.

It was his fifth multi-hit game of the season and 11th of his career. He is batting .264 (23 for 87) with one home run, 14 runs and nine RBIs in 24 games.

At 20-6, this is the fastest the Eagles have reached the 20-win mark in a season in program history.

Record Ryan

Sophomore Ryan Cesarini (Valley View) found his way into the Saint Joseph's University baseball record book again.

In a 19-13 win over the University of Richmond, Cesarini was one of eight Hawks to homer,

setting a program record for home runs in a single game. The previous mark was six at

Towson on March 10, 2021.

Then, in a 15-0 victory over Richmond, Cesarini was 3 for 5 with three doubles, two runs and three RBIs. The three doubles tied the program single-game mark shared by many.

Earlier this season, Cesarini tied the program record for runs in a game with five.

He is batting .357 (30 for 84) eight eight doubles, one triple, four home runs, 22 runs and 21 RBIs.

Extended rivalry

A pair of former Lackawanna League baseball rivals met when Sacred Heart University faced Long Island University in a three-game weekend series.

Sacred Heart sophomore Zack Kovalchik (North Pocono) went 3 for 12 in the series with one double, three walks, one stolen base, three runs and three RBIs.

LIU redshirt junior Jake Mastillo (North Pocono) went 4 for 12 with one triple, two runs and six RBIs.

After the teams split the first two games, Sacred Heart led the series finale after the top of the seventh inning, 11-5. But LIU rallied to score seven runs in the last three innings to pull out a 12-11 win. Mastillo contributed to the comeback with a sacrifice fly in the seventh and a game-tying two run triple in the eighth.

Relief effort

West Chester University baseball junior Dylan Howanitz (Valley View) got the final four outs to earn the save in a 5-2 victory over Mansfield in the second game of a doubleheader sweep.

Howanitz entered the game with two runners on and two outs in the bottom of the eighth and notched a strikeout to end the inning. He struck out the first two batters in the ninth, but the second batter reached base on a passed ball. But Howanitz got a game-ending 6-4-3 double play for his first save of the season and second of his career.

Hits keep coming

Lycoming College softball sophomore Rachel Daub (Honesdale) was a combined 5 for 5 with one run, one double, one walk and three RBIs in a doubleheader sweep of Albright College.

Daug has hit safely in 14 of the team's 18 games, batting .345 (19 for 55) with four doubles, nine runs, seven RBIs and 3 for 3 in stolen bases.

Quick connects

Mount St. Mary's freshman golfer Chloe Sipe (Elk Lake) finished tied for fifth out of 95 golfers at the Prospect Bay Intercollegiate in Grasonville, Maryland. Sipe shot a 7-over 151 (75-76) for her first collegiate top 10. ... Wilkes sophomore Cameron Butka (West Scranton) was named a National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Men's Scholar All-American. Butka is a biochemistry major who posted a 27-7 record at 197 pounds this season for the Colonels. ... In a 3-0 win over Drew, Wilkes junior Jackson Shafer (Delaware Valley) broke two single-season men's volleyball records. He had 16 points in the match, giving him 323.5 points to surpass the previous mark of 314.5 set by John Pietrzyk in 2017. Shafer also had 14 kills, raising his season total to 271 to top the previous mark of 263 set by Pietrzyk in 2017. ... Lock Haven University baseball freshman Tom Rohan (Holy Cross) got his first collegiate RBI on a fielder's choice in a 2-1 loss to Millersville University. Rohan's first collegiate hit happened March 18, a double against West Chester University. ... Gettysburg College freshman Mabret Levant (Wallenpaupack) had back-to-back three-RBI games in wins over Hood College and Ursinus College. ... Bucknell University track and field junior Robert Feeney (Scranton Prep) placed third in the hammer throw at 177 feet, 4 inches at the Colonial Relays in Williamsburg, Virginia. Bucknell senior Mia Bellucci (Scranton) was part of the 4x1500-meter relay that finished fourth in 19:13.91. Junior Lila Gaughan (North Pocono) was a member of the 4x100-meter relay that was fifth in 47.14 seconds. That time ranks sixth in program history. ... Bloomsburg University sophomores Doug Walsh (Holy Cross) and Kyle Marcinkevich (Mid Valley) was part of the 4x400-meter relay that took fourth at the Millersville Metrics in 3:33.42.

WEEKLY WINNERS

Marywood University's Michael Aronica (Dunmore) was named to the Atlantic East Conference baseball weekly honor roll for the period of March 27-April 2.

Aronica was 1-0 with one save in two appearances. In seven innings, he allowed no runs and three hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts.

Landmark Conference

Corey Zientak of the University of Scranton was selected Landmark Conference baseball Athlete of the Week. During a 4-0 week by the Royals, Zientak batted .500 (10 for 20) with three home runs, 10 runs, 10 RBIs and two stolen bases.

CSAC

Keystone College swept the Colonial States Athletic Conference men's lacrosse awards.

Ryan Smith was chosen Offensive Player of the Week. In two games, Smith scored seven goals, including a program single-game record six against Albertus Magnus.

Cody Dembski was selected Defensive Player of the Week. Dembski won 45 of 59 faceoffs, including a program-record 27 against Albertus Magnus. He also collected 29 groundballs.

Named to the honor roll in their respective sports were Keystone's Brooke Staple and Courtney Cienki (softball); Clarks Summit University's Tanner Smith and Daniel Knight (baseball); and Keystone's Jordan Art (Lakeland) and Greg Verano (baseball).

— SCOTT WALSH

SCOTT WALSH covers area college athletes and teams in Local Connections. Contact him at swalsh@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 ext. 5109; and follow him @swalshTT on Twitter.

SCOTT WALSH covers area college athletes and teams in Local Connections. Contact him at swalsh@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 ext. 5109; and follow him @swalshTT on Twitter.