BRISTOL, R.I. –The Roger Williams University Baseball team staved off a late rally by Johnson & Wales University Tuesday afternoon, coming away with the 9-6 victory.

The Wildcats struck early, as Jonathan Melendez (Providence, R.I.) got the first run of the day on an RBI groundout with the bases loaded in the first inning. The Hawks' Kevin Simpson (Londonderry, N.H.) and Alex Perry (Glastonbury, Conn.) came through with back-to-back RBI hits in the bottom half to claim a 2-1 lead.

 

Jamie Dahill (S. Boston, Mass.) helped stretch the Hawk lead to four in the following inning, clearing the bases with a three-run double to deep center field. Johnson & Wales was able to get back two of those runs in the top of the third. Melendez sent home Brad Jackson (Setauket, N.Y.) with a sacrifice fly, while Mike Wengzn (Manchester, Conn.) doubled in Mike Manley (Verona, N.J.) to cut the gap to two.

 

The Wildcats pulled closer in the fourth, getting an RBI groundout by Matt Newsome (Providence, R.I.), but the Hawks trumped the run with two of their own in the bottom of the frame. RWU's Andrew Haycock (Medfield, Mass.) scored from second on an overthrow by the shortstop attempting to turn a 4-6-3 double play. Simpson then hit a rocket to the second baseman that trickled into the outfield, allowing Dahill to score.

 

Johnson & Wales went scoreless over the next three innings, while the Hawks added one more in the sixth. Yet in the eighth, momentum began to swing in the Wildcats' favor. After JWU loaded the bases with one out, Mike MacKay (Pawtucket, R.I.) brought in a run with a sacrifice fly, which was followed up by a pinch-hit RBI single by John Kuschman (Glastonbury, Conn.).

 

Holding a slim 8-6 lead, Billy Dunn (Fiskdale, Mass.) entered with two outs, getting a groundout to second base to end the rally. After the Hawks added one in the eighth, Dunn came back out in the ninth, striking out the side with a walk in between to get his fourth save of the season.

 

PJ Gouthro (Walpole, Mass.) earned his first win of the year, allowing four runs in seven innings while striking out three. Josh Hodge dropped to 1-3, surrendering eight runs (six earned) in 5.1 innings of work.

 

Most of the offensive damage by the Hawks came from the 2-5 hitters, as Bill Lambert (Hanover, Mass.), Dahill, Perry, and Simpson each tallied three hits on the day. Perry and Dahill picked up three RBI to go along with the hits.

 

Manley had a 2-for-3 performance from the plate for the Wildcats with two runs scored. Melendez was held hitless in three at-bats but did knock in two RBI and scored one run.

 

Roger Williams (14-6) will play its rescheduled doubleheader at Curry College tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., while Johnson & Wales (16-10) hosts Framingham State Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.