PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Johnson & Wales (RI) University baseball team secured the No. 1 seed in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament with a pair of wins over Rivier University Saturday afternoon at the Scotts Miracle-Gro Athletic Complex.

Prior to the start of game two, JWU head coach Kevin Casey honored graduate student Kyle Cutler and Griffin Snyder, seniors Jake McDonough and Miles Kelly, and longtime team manager Michael O'Conner for their contributions to the program.

Game One: Wildcats 13, Raiders 0
Sophomore Trevor Juan drove in five runs and junior Riley Hasson went 4-for-4 and scored twice for the Wildcats, who struck for 10 runs over the first three innings. Juan plated three runs in the second with a bases-clearing double before a pair of RBI doubles from junior Xavier Botelho and freshman Jack Obert in the third highlighted the five-run frame. Junior Thorin Sanchez-Guerra tacked on three in the sixth courtesy of a three-run home run – high fifth of the season. Cutler tossed a three-hit shutout, striking out five in seven innings of work to improve to 6-2 thus far in 2023.  

Game Two: Wildcats 13, Raiders 2
Sophomore Owen Davis went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI singles and three RBI, and Juan launched a two-run home run to propel the Wildcats to their eighth-straight win. Sanchez-Guerra picked up an RBI triple and an RBI single, Botelho jacked a two-run double, and Hassen recorded an RBI single for JWU, which used five pitchers in the contest. Sophomore Justin Markell was credited with the win as he worked two scoreless innings, striking out a pair.