BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Baseball team had an early slip against Suffolk University slip away late in the game, with the Rams defeating the Hawks 5-2 on Friday afternoon.
The Hawks had a 2-0 lead erased in the seventh inning by Suffolk with four runs in the inning. The loss drops RWU to 6-19 on the year, while Suffolk's record now stands at 6-14-1.
RWU began the game with two runs in the first inning for a quick 2-0 advantage. Mike Pascarella (Milford, Conn.) and John Oppenhimer (Westport, Conn.) reached on back-to-back one-out hits, and then moved up a base on a double steal. Chris Travers (East Freetown, Mass.) would then score Pascarella on an infield hit down the third base line. Trevor Manzi (Beverly, Mass.) later followed that up with an RBI single to bring in Oppenhimer for the two-run lead.
Tyler Pogmore (Lebanon, Conn.) fared well in his first career collegiate start. He shut down the Suffolk offense over his four innings of work, allowing only two hits with five strikeouts. His counterpart Steve Chamberland (Bristol, Conn.) settled down after a shaky first, holding the Hawks to only one hit and one walk over the following five innings.
In the seventh, Jake Cintolo (Wrentham, Mass.) led off the inning for Suffolk with a ground-rule double and later scored on an RBI single by Mike Muse (Milton, Mass.). After a failed force-out attempt at second, J.C. Collette (Amesbury, Mass.) tied the game with an RBI single to tie the game. Jack Sullivan followed with the go-ahead hit to give the Rams the lead, with Devan Jones (Roslindale, Mass.) adding an insurance run with an RBI single.
The Hawks threatened in the eighth, getting Oppenhimer and Travers aboard via base hit and a walk to lead off the inning. After a strikeout, Suffolk southpaw Mike Masulli (Prospect, Conn.) induced a 6-4-3 double play on his first pitch to get out of the jam. In the ninth, he got through the side allowing only a double to save the game for the Rams.
Chamberland notched the win, going six innings and allowing two runs on five hits with four strikeouts. Collette finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Cintolo was 2-for-4 with a run, while Jones added a hit and two RBI.
Ryan Tita (Newtown, Conn.) took the loss for the Hawks, giving up four runs (two earned) in 2.2 innings of relief with four strikeouts. Oppenhimer went 2-for-3 with a run while Pascarella was 2-for-4 with a run.
Roger Williams hosts Endicott College Saturday in a non-conference matchup, while Suffolk takes on Lasell at home in a GNAC doubleheader.
