BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Baseball team began Commonwealth Coast Conference play Wednesday afternoon with a doubleheader sweep over Nichols College by the scores of 7-1 and 8-1.
Game 1 of the doubleheader began as a pitcher's duel between starters Brian Hurld (South Boston, Mass.) for the Hawks and Austin Martin (Wakefield, R.I.) of the Bison, as both pitchers only allowed one hit each over the first four innings.
The scoreless stalemate ended in the top of the fifth inning when Jamie Dahill (South Boston, Mass.) hit an RBI single with the bases loaded to score Bill Lambert (Hanover, Mass.). Kevin Simpson (Londonderry, N.H.) stepped up to the plate next and cleared the bases with a three-run home run to left field to make it a 4-0 Hawk lead.
Lambert scored again in the sixth inning before the Bison notched their first and only run of the game in the bottom half of the inning when George Sergi (Blackstone, Mass.) scored Chris Nemeskal (Swampscott, Mass.) on an RBI groundout. Grant Bolin (Simsbury, Conn.) knocked a two-run home run in the seventh for the Hawks to cap off the game.
Hurld earned the win for the Hawks, allowing two hits and one run in seven innings while striking out four. Dahill went 2-for-4 with a run and RBI, while Bolin and Simpson were each 1-for-3 with a home run.
Martin suffered the loss, giving up five runs (two earned) in five innings of work. Nemeskal went 1-for-2 with a run scored, while Zachary Johnson (Wakefield, R.I.) was 1-for-2
The second game began similarly to the first, with a close game for the first half between the two teams. Nichols struck first in the bottom of the second on Cale LaCasse's (Killingly, Conn.) RBI single, scoring Matt Whitman (North Plainfield, N.J.). The 1-0 Bison led held up until the top of the fifth inning with Chris Comeau (Southbury, Conn.) tying the game on a sacrifice fly, then Tony Verrochi (Norwood, Mass.) giving the Hawks the lead on an RBI single.
RWU held its slim 2-1 lead until the top of the seventh, when the Hawks broke the game open with six runs in the inning, highlighted by Dahill's 42nd career double, putting him atop RWU's all-time doubles list.
James Lydon (Calverton, N.Y.) pitched six innings for the win, allowing a run on four hits with six strikeouts. Verrochi, Dahill, and Zach Porter (Middleboro, Mass.) each had two hits and a run scored for the Hawks. Alex Perry (Glastonbury, Conn.) added a two-run home run.
Joseph Atchue (Grafton, Mass.) suffered the loss, tagged for all eight runs in seven innings. LaCasse finished 2-for-3 for the Bison, with Martin and Jarred Stuczynski (Whitinsville, Mass.) each adding at hit.
Roger Williams (7-5, 2-0 TCCC) hosts Colby-Sawyer College Saturday at 12:00 p.m., while Nichols (5-5, 0-2 TCCC) takes on WPI Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
