BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Baseball team managed a split against local rival Salve Regina University Wednesday afternoon, falling in the first game 8-1 before taking the nightcap 12-7.
Charles Matarazzo (Montville, N.J.) put Salve Regina up 1-0 in the top of the first, coming in on an RBI fielder's choice by Brendan Tapley (Warwick, R.I.). The Seahawks added one more in each of the second and fourth innings via sacrifice flies by Michael O'Neill and Matarazzo, respectively.
The Hawks put their first run across in the bottom of the fourth, with Grant Bolin (Simsbury, Conn.) scoring on a sacrifice fly by Trevor Manzi (Beverly, Mass.). Yet the Seahawks added to more in the top of the fifth inning, then put the game away in the seventh on a home run by Riley Diaz (Miami, Fla.) and a two-RBI single by Brandon Bursie (Smithfield, R.I.).
Patrick Quinn (Middletown, N.J.) earned the victory, allowing one run on six hits with five strikeouts in the game. Diaz finished the game 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI, while Matt Capone (Barrington, R.I.) went 1-for-2 with three runs scored.
Sean Scanlon (Lebanon, Conn.) took the loss, tagged for all eight runs in the game. Rob Zarthar (Dedham, Mass.) and Eric Cabral (Boston, Mass.) each finished 2-for-3 in the opener.
Salve Regina began the second similar to the first, taking a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first as O'Neill came in from third on a failed pickoff attempt at second base. Yet Roger Williams would come back in a major way in the second inning.
The Hawks sent 11 batters to the plate, tallying eight runs and seven hits in the frame, capped off with a grand slam by Matthew Roche (Bristol, Conn.) to deep right field. The eight runs tied a season best for Roger Williams for the most in an inning.
Despite trailing by seven, Salve Regina continued to fight its way back into the game. The Seahawks answered in their next at-bat with two runs in the third, followed by three more in the fourth, with Matarazzo's homer in the frame bringing Salve Regina to within two.
Yet the Hawks stretched their lead out in the bottom of the fourth, with a two-run single by Ryan MacCarthy (Middleboro, Mass.) highlighting a four-run inning for RWU to take a 12-6 lead. Salve Regina would manage one more run in the top of the seventh before the Hawks earned the win.
Josh Orosz (Fairfield, Conn.) picked up his first win as a Hawk, tossing six innings while allowing six runs (two earned) with three strikeouts. Roche finished the game with two hits, two runs, and a career-high five RBI. Bolin went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs, while Cabral had two hits, three RBI, and a run scored.
Matt Wierzbicki (Wethersfield, Conn.) took the loss, giving up seven runs in 1.1 innings. Bursie was perfect at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a run, while Matarazzo adding two hits, two runs, and two RBI.
Roger Williams (7-19, 5-11 TCCC) heads up to Wheaton College for a 3:30 game, while Salve Regina (16-13, 9-7 TCCC) will be at Wentworth Institute of Technology for a doubleheader starting at noon.
