BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Baseball team earned its first home wins of the 2011 season with a doubleheader sweep of Curry College Saturday afternoon, as the Hawks took the first game 14-7 then won the second 5-0.
GAME ONE
Box Score
In the opener, Curry got on the board first in the top of the first inning with RBIs by Brad Hawn (Chino Hills, Calif.) and Matt Drew (Waltham, Mass.) to make it 2-0 in favor of the Colonels. The Hawks responded with an RBI double by Zach Porter (Middleboro, Mass.) in the bottom half to score Trevor Manzi (Beverly, Mass.).
In the bottom of the second, the Hawks broke the game open with six runs in the inning. A throwing error at short with two outs prolonged the inning, with the Hawks taking advantage to score five of their six runs. Two runs came off the bat of Mike Thomas (Plainville, Conn.) with a two-RBI single to left.
Though trailing by five, it would not take the Colonels long to make a comeback, as Hawn knocked a two-run homer to left in the top of the third to make it a 7-4 game. Curry would follow that up with three more runs in the fourth inning to tie the game at seven. Ben Blaisdell (Mansfield, Mass.) and Kyle Connors (Stoughton, Mass.) would pick up an RBI each in the inning to help the cause.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Hawks got another big inning, this time scoring seven runs in the frame to take a commanding seven-run lead. TJ Oliver (Dedham, Mass.) highlighted the rally with a three-run shot to left field to put RWU on top 14-7 that would eventually stand as the final score.
Josh Orosz (Fairfield, Conn.) improved to 5-0 on the year with the win, allowing seven runs (four earned) in five innings. Oliver finished 2-for-4 with a run and three RBI. Porter went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. Mike Pascarella (Milford, Conn.), Chris Ford (Plainville, Mass.), and Matt Swensen (Charlton, Mass.) each added two hits and two runs scored.
Drew started the game for the Colonels, allowing seven runs (two earned) in two innings on six hits but did not factor in the decision. Mark Rebello took the loss for Curry, tagged for seven runs in an inning of work. Connors went 3-for-3 for the Colonels with two runs scored and an RBI, while Hawn was 1-for-4 with a run and three RBI.
GAME TWO
Box Score
In the second game, Matt O’Neill (Milton, Mass.) and Sean Boyle (Arlington, Mass.) were holding their respective opposition off the scoreboard over the first four innings. O’Neill held the Hawks to three hits and a walk over that span, while Boyle scattered four hits over the first five innings.
It would not be until the bottom of the fifth for the first score of the game. Back-to-back doubles by Eric Bransfield (Lynn, Mass.) and Pascarella put the Hawks on top 1-0. RWU would then get RBI singles by Manzi and Porter, culminating in a two-RBI single by Swensen to put the Hawks up 5-0.
In each the final two innings, Boyle worked out of a jam to hold on for the shutout. He left runners at first and second in the sixth inning, and then struck out the final two batters with runners at first and third to end the game.
Boyle scattered eight hits with six strikeouts to earn his first shutout. Manzi finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run, while Swensen was 1-for-3 with two RBIs.
O’Neill suffered the loss for Curry, giving up all five Hawk runs (three earned) in five innings of work on eight hits and two walks with six strikeouts. Connors and Andrew Waldrip (Medford, Mass.) each had two hits in the game.
Roger Williams (17-15, 11-5 TCCC) hosts Endicott College tomorrow afternoon at noon, while Curry (12-18, 7-11 TCCC) hosts Colby-Sawyer College tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. (Game recaps courtesy of Roger Williams Sports Information)