BRISTOL, R.I. – Despite overcoming a six-run deficit in the first inning, the Roger Williams University Baseball team gave up four runs late in the game to nationally-ranked #6 Wheaton College, as the Lyons came away with a 10-6 victory Tuesday afternoon.
Roger Williams got off to a slow start in the first inning, allowing the Lyons to score six runs in the inning. After retiring the first two batters, the next seven batters reached base via five hits, a walk, and an error. Apolinar De la Cruz (Providence, R.I.), Dan Demeo (Glastonbury, Conn.), and Zach Horton (North Attleboro, Mass.) all notched RBI hits for Wheaton in the six-run inning.
Chris Travers (East Freetown, Mass.) got things going for the Hawks in the second inning with a base hit and was eventually pushed to third on a single by Trevor Larson (Northbridge, Mass.) down the right line. Tim Georgen (Bristol, Conn.) drove Travers home with a single of his own before back-to-back outs moved things into the third.
After consecutive defensive stops by both squads, Roger Williams was able to get things going again in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two runs cutting the lead to 6-3. Trevor Manzi (Beverly, Mass.) ripped a double down the right field line, putting two runners in scoring position while advancing Derek Jerome (New Bedford, Mass.) to third who was hit by a pitch. Travers then continued to have a strong bat with an RBI single to score Jerome and send Manzi to third. Manzi eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Mike Thomas (Plainville, Conn.).
In the bottom of the seventh, the first three Hawks reached base to kick off the rally. Manzi, who led off the inning with a walk, came in to score on a balk to pull RWU within two. Tim Georgen (Bristol, Conn.) later scored Travers with an RBI single, followed by a sacrifice fly by Chris Comeau (Southbury, Conn.) to tie the game at six.
Wheaton wasted little time regaining the lead, with Demeo and John Keating (Duxbury, Mass.) scoring on a two-RBI single by Eric Jensen (Gorham, N.H.) in the top of the eighth. The Lyons tacked on two more runs in the ninth on a two-RBI triple by Demeo in the inning. The Hawks would be set down in order in the bottom of the ninth to give Wheaton its sixth win in a row.
Nick Filloramo (Rochester, Mass.) picked up the win, giving up two runs in an inning of relief. Starter Mike Gibbons (Simsbury, Conn.) went four innings, allowing a run on four hits and two walks. Demeo finished 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs. Dan Haugh (Andover, Mass.) went 2-for-5 with a run, while Jensen had a hit and two runs batted in.
Dan Julian (Stratford, Conn.) suffered the loss for RWU, allowing a run in 0.1 innings in relief of Brendan Telfer (Avon, Conn.), who allowed six runs (one earned) on nine hits in 6.2 innings of work. Manzi continued his torrid hitting by going 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. Travers went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Georgen added two hits and two RBI.
Roger Williams (10-21) travels to Brandeis on Thursday, while Wheaton (26-4) hosts Clark on Friday.
