NEWPORT, R.I.- The Roger Williams University Baseball team split a doubleheader between a pair of regionally ranked foes on Saturday afternoon against Salve Regina University at Reynold Field. The number five regionally ranked Hawks posted a come-from-behind victory in game one, winning 4-2. Then in the second game, the Seahawks mounted a comeback of their own to hand the Hawks a 4-3 defeat.
 
In game one, Justin Garcia (Foxborough, Mass.) set the program record for career strikeouts. Then in game two, Joey Gulino (Meriden, Conn.) reset the Hawks record for stolen bases in a season.
 
With the split, the Hawks are now 17-6 on the season, 10-4 against Commonwealth Coast Conference competition. Meanwhile, the Seahawks move to 9-2-1 on the season, 6-1-1- against conference foes.
 
Hawk Highlights
Game 1
Joey Gulino (Meriden, Conn.): 0-for-3, 4 SB, BB, 2 RS
Jack Morin (North Andover, Mass.): 1-for-2, SB, BB, RBI, RS
Matt Massaro (Fairfield, Conn.): 1-for-3, 2B, RBI
 
Justin Garcia (Foxborough, Mass.): 4.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Chris Flynn (Naugatuck, Conn.): (W, 2-0), 2.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
 
For The Opponents
Matt D'Amato (Midland Park, N.J.): 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, RS
Sean O'Malley (Darien, Conn.): 1-for-3, BB, RBI
 
Joe Escandon (Allenhurst, N.J.): 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Holden Ferrari (Dover, Mass.): (L, 1-1), 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
 
How It Happened
The first action in game one came in the top of the second. Ben Bonavita (East Longmeadow, Mass.) notched a one-out single and then stole second base. Tommy Hobin (Madison, Conn.) then stepped in with two outs and singled into left, Bonavita tried to score, but left fielder Jared Beniers (Abington, Mass.) made a strong throw to the plate that took the catcher, Dylan Ketch (Clinton, Conn.), to the third base side of home plate. He was able to handle the throw and apply the tag on a bang-bang play at the plate to keep the game scoreless.
 
The Hawks did manage to get on the board against Salve Regina starter Joe Escandon (Allenhurst, N.J.) the following inning, however. Joey Gulino (Meriden, Conn.) drew a one-out walk, and immediately stole both second, and third base. Jack Morin (North Andover, Mass.) then hit a fly ball to center field that was deep enough to allow Gulino to tag and score giving RWU a 1-0 advantage.
 
Roger Williams starter Justin Garcia (Foxborough, Mass.) ran into a little bit of trouble in the bottom half. After cruising through the first two frames allowing only one baserunner, who was later erased when he was caught stealing, the hosts, Salve Regina got a pair of runners on base with singles with one out, and then loaded the bases with two outs with Ketch, their three-hole hitter, at the plate. However, Garcia struck him out swinging neutralize the threat.
 
The Seahawks finally broke through in the fifth. Dustin Siqueira (Trumbull, Conn.) led off with a single and came all the way around to score on a double by Matt D'Amato (Midland Park, N.J.). A hit batsman and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with one out. Garcia then plunked another batter to load the bases forcing a pitching change as the Hawks turned to Chris Flynn (Naugatuck, Conn.). He walked the first man, forcing home a run, but then struck out the next two men to escape further damage. However, Salve Regina had taken a 2-1 lead.
 
The Hawks came right back to take the lead for good in the top of the sixth against Seahawks reliever Holden Ferrari (Dover, Mass.). Gulino reached on an error and once again stole second and third bases, and in the process tied the program record for steals in a season with 26. Morin followed that up with a walk of his own and stole second as well with Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.) at the plate. Jenkins brought home Gulino on an RBI groundout. After a pop out for the second out, Danny Roth (West Hartford, Conn.) ripped a single to score Morin and give the Hawks the lead. Bonavita then got hit by a pitch bringing up Matt Massaro (Fairfield, Conn.) who gave RWU some insurance by blasting a double to score Roth and make the score 4-2.
 
With Flynn still on the mound in the seventh, Salve Regina got three consecutive singles with one out, thus putting the tying run on second and the go ahead run on first. However, Flynn forced a pop out and then picked up a strikeout to complete the victory.
 
Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision in gameone. Flynn's 2.2 innings of scoreless relief allowing one walk, and three hits, while striking out five, earned him his second win of the year. Meanwhile Ferrari took the loss after allowing three runs in the sixth to fall to 1-1 on the campaign.
 
Coach's Corner
Great game on all sides of the ball by both teams today.  Justin Garcia did not have his best stuff today, however, he really battled and gave a real gutsy performance.  He struck out four in five innings, and broke the career strikeout record that had been held since 2003.  Chris Flynn really stepped up today.  He pitched 2 2/3 inning with five K's and some huge outs for us.  Cannot say enough about his outing today, I was really impressed.  Offensively, we struggled but managed to scrape across enough to win the game. 
 
Game 2
Ben Bonavita (East Longmeadow, Mass.): 2-for-4, 3B, RBI, RS
Danny Roth (West Hartford, Conn.): 2-for-3, SB, BB, RS
 
Connor Hewlette (Deer Park, N.Y.): 5.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
Kyle Schaefer (Madison, Conn.): (L, 2-1), 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
 
For The Opponents
Anthony Ciezko (Woodcliff Lake, N.J.): 2-for-4, 2B, 4 RBI
Dylan Ketch (Clinton, Conn.): 3-for-4, RS
 
Patrick Mayback (Saunderstown, R.I.): 7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 7 K
Andrew Roman (Monson, Mass.): (W, 1-0), 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
 
How It Happened
Both starters in this game, Connor Hewlette (Deer Park, N.Y.) or Roger Williams and Patrick Mayback (Saunderstown, R.I.) for Salve Regina flew through the first five innings without a problem, that ended in the bottom of the sixth inning.
 
Hewlette opened the inning with a pair of walks before inducing a come-backer when he got the lead runner trying to advance to third. A single by Dylan Ketch (Clinton, Conn.) loaded the bases for the Seahawks' clean-up hitter, Anthony Ciezko (Woodcliff Lake, N.J.).  He proceeded to clear the bases with a two-bagger to give Salve Regina a 3-0 lead. The Hawks' right-hander picked up a strikeout then issued a free pass before departing in favor of Kyle Schaefer (Madison, Conn.) who struck out a man to retire the side. However, the damage was done, and the hosts held a 3-0 lead.
 
The Hawks battled back in it in the seventh. Danny Roth (West Hartford, Conn.) led off with a single ahead of Ben Bonavita (East Longmeadow, Mass.) who cranked his third triple in the past eight days to score Roth. Bonavita then came across the plate on a wild pitch to cut the host's lead to one.
 
Roger Williams tied the game in the eighth. Joey Gulino (Meriden, Conn.) began the inning with a single and stole second to set the new program record for steals in a season. He scored on a single by Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.) that put runners on the first and second as Jack Morin (North Andover, Mass.) advanced to second. Both advanced on a ground out but were stranded after a pair of strikeouts.
 
The hosts took the lead for good in the eighth. Jared Beniers (Abington, Mass.) drew a free pass to start the inning before Ketch ripped a single to put runners on the corners. Cieszko then dropped down a bunt single that scored Beniers from third to give the Seahawks a 4-3 lead. Schaefer and Adam Harz (Manchester, Conn.) combined to get out of the inning without more runners crossing the plate, but the Hawks could not recover as they went down 1-2-3 in the ninth to fall 4-3.
 
Just like in game one, neither starter factored into the decision in game two. Schaefer allowed the go-ahead run during his two innings of work to take the loss for RWU. Andrew Roman (Monson, Mass.) tossed the final two innings for the hosts allowing just one hit to earn the win.
 
Coach's Corner
This was a tough one to swallow.  Salve just executed a little better than we did in game two.  However, we did some good things today!  Connor Hewlette had another great start for us, going five innings with four K's.  On the base paths, Joey Gulino broke the single season stolen base record today, which had been in place since 1992.  Gulino on the base paths is extremely fun to watch, he turns singles or walks into triples every time he gets on.  Love watching him run the bases.  Although it was a tough loss, it was good baseball with a playoff feel.   
 
What's Next
The Hawks face-off against the Seahawks again for another doubleheader on Sunday afternoon. First pitch of game one will be at noon.