BIDDEFORD, Maine – With the release of the 2021 All-Commonwealth Coast Conference Team, nine members of the Roger Williams University Baseball team received all-conference honors with one receiving a major award.
Picking up one of the CCC major awards was
Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.), who was selected as CCC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Chris Flynn (Naugatuck, Conn.) and
Danny Roth (West Hartford, Conn.) earned spots on the All-CCC First Team while Jenkins,
Ben Bonavita (East Longmeadow, Mass.),
Tyler Cedeno (Maynard, Mass.),
Justin Garcia (Foxborough, Mass.), and
George Somers (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) were selected to the All-CCC Second Team. Receiving All-CCC Third Team honors were
Joey Gulino (Meriden, Conn.) and
Matt Massaro (Fairfield, Conn.).
Jenkins is a civil engineering major who currently holds a 3.94 GPA. In addition to his stellar play on the field for the Hawks, he has performed just as well in the classroom. He has made Dean's List every semester of his four years at Roger Williams and been a mainstay on the CCC Academic All-Conference list. Jenkins is also a member of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society. Offensively, he hit .430 on 46 hits including six home runs, and nine doubles, all of which ranked in the top 5 in the CCC. Additionally, he set the single-season program record for runs batted in with 45, leading the CCC.
Flynn spent the 2021 campaign as the Hawks' closer out of the pen. Over the course of the season, he led the conference with 12 appearances and four saves. He compiled a 2-0 record with a sparkling 2.40 earned run average. In addition, Flynn held batters to a .220 average and struck out 30 batters, ninth-best in the CCC.
Roth had a strong offensive season for RWU. In conference-only games, he batted .321 in while leading the CCC with a .768 slugging percentage, eight home runs, 24 runs batted in, and 43 total bases. Overall, he hit nine home runs on the year while setting the new RWU career record for dingers with 23 in his tenure.
Bonavita was a threat offensively on the mound and at the plate this season for RWU. He hit .306 on the season and ranked third in the conference with three home runs and eighth with 23 runs batted in. On the rubber, he went 1-1 with a 3.71 ERA and 21 strikeouts. He also pitched a complete game win against Curry giving up six hits and only one run.
Cedeno stepped up for Roger Williams offensively throughout the year. His .311 batting average was second on the team while his .508 CCC-only slugging percentage was seventh-best in the conference. He finished the year fourth in the CCC with 32 hits, seventh with 16 walks and 25 runs scored, and ninth with nine stolen bases.
Garcia served as one of the Hawks' starting pitchers this season and was dominant on the mound. He made four starts in six appearances, going 3-0 with a 2.73 ERA, third-best in the CCC. He held opponents to a .190 batting average while striking out 57 batters, second-most in the conference. In addition, he broke the RWU career record for strikeouts with 189.
Somers split his time between catcher and designated hitter to keep his bat in the lineup. He thrived in CCC-only play, ranking seventh in the conference with a .391 average while placing fourth with 18 hits and sixth with 15 runs batted in. Overall, he was fourth on the team with 24 RBI and 28 hits.
Gulino was a threat on the base paths all season long, as he led the conference and ranks fourth in NCAA Division III with 31 stolen bases. His 39 runs scored and 36 walks also topped the conference while his .500 on-bases percentage was sixth-best. In addition, he broke the single-season and school record for walks and the single-season record for stolen bases.
Massaro patrolled the infield for Roger Williams on the season. Over the course of the year, he collected 20 hits, batted in ten runners, and scored 19 runs for the Hawks. A tough out at the plate, his 17 walks placed him fifth in the CCC during the year. In addition, he had a three-walk, three runs scored game against Western New England back on April 10.
