NEWPORT, R.I.- The second-seeded Roger Williams University Baseball team saw its very successful first season under Head Coach Kevin Kelley come to a close, after falling to first-seeded Salve Regina University at Reynolds Field on Sunday afternoon. On a picture-perfect day for baseball in Newport, the Hawks ran into storm clouds in the sixth surrendering seven runs including a grand slam by Tyler Cannoe (Schenectady, N.Y.) as the hosts ran away with the win, 12-5. In the process, the Seahawks knocked RWU out of the Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament.
 
With the loss, the Hawks finish the season with a 20-11 record (11-5 CCC), good for a .645 winning percentage, the second best in program history. Meanwhile, the Seahawks punch their ticket into the CCC Championship Series by improving to 12-4-1 (7-2-1 CCC).
 
Hawk Highlights
Joey Gulino (Meriden, Conn.): 1-for-3, HR, BB, 2 RBI, RS
George Somers (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.): 1-for-4, HR, RBI, RS
Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.): 1-for-3, 3B, RBI, RS
 
Dan Massaro (Fairfield, Conn.): (L, 2-3), 2.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
 
For The Opponents
Tyler Cannoe (Schenectady, N.Y.): 2-for-5, GS, 4 RBI, RS
Anthony Cieszko (Woodcliff Lake, N.J.): 2-for-4, 3 RBI
Matt D'Amato (Midland Park, N.J..): 3-for-4, SB, 2 RBI, 2 RS
 
Michael Mathews (West Hartford, Conn.): 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Dominic Perachi (Washington Depot, Conn.): (W, 2-1), 3.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
 
How It Happened
Roger Williams jumped on Seahawks starter Michael Mathews (West Hartford, Conn.) right away in the first. Tyler Cedeno (Maynard, Mass.) dumped a one-out single into center, and got around to third via a wild pitch and a passed ball. Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.) then swung at a pitch and got jammed but with the infield and outfield shifted for him to pull, his pop up landed safely down the left-field line. By the time Salve Regina was able to corral it, Cedeno had crossed the plate and Jenkins was standing on third with his second career triple. He was able to dart home on a passed ball to make the score 2-0.
 
Salve Regina tied the score in the home half against RWU starter Dan Massaro (Fairfield, Conn.). After Massaro got the leadoff man out, the hosts loaded the bases on a single, a walk, and a hit batsman. Sean O'Malley (Darien, Conn.) stepped in and hit a potential double play ball to short that could have gotten the Hawks out of the frame, but it was bobbled, and though they still managed to get the runner at second on the play, a run came home, and the inning continued. The Seahawks took advantage as they executed a first and third steal play to score another run for Tyler Cannoe (Schenectady, N.Y.). He hit the ball on the screws, but it struck the runner to end the inning.
 
Salve Regina took the lead in the fourth as they opened the frame with a pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt to put two runners in scoring position. Adam Harz (Manchester, Conn.) came on in relief and Anthony Cieszko (Woodcliff Lake, N.J.) greeted him by lining a single into center scoring both runs and giving the Seahawks a 4-2 advantage.
 
After the hosts added one in the fourth on a Matt D'Amato (Midland Park, N.J..) run-scoring single, the Hawks got one back in the sixth. Senior catcher George Somers (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) worked the count to 2-0 before jumping on a Dominic Perachi (Washington Depot, Conn.) offering and swatting the ball over the left-center field fence for his first career home run.
 
The Seahawks put it out of reach in the sixth. With one out against Chris Flynn (Naugatuck, Conn.), Zach Barlok (Cheshire, Conn.) got drilled and went first to third on a single. D'Amato then dropped down a suicide squeeze bunt but beat it out for an RBI bunt single. Jared Beniers (Abington, Mass.) followed that up by hitting a potential double play groundball to short that could have ended the inning. However, once again it got booted. This time RWU was unable to get anyone out, and once again Salve Regina took advantage. After runs came home on a hit batsman and an RBI groundout, a walk reloaded the bases. Roger Williams went to the bullpen and brought in Anthony Sapienza (North Andover, Mass.) with Cannoe coming up. He ambushed the first pitch he saw and launched it over the left-center field fence for a grand slam that made the score 12-3.
 
Joey Gulino (Meriden, Conn.) chipped into the deficit in the eighth, as with a man on and two men out, he mashed the 0-1 pitch and sent the ball sailing over the hedges about 25 feet beyond the left-field fence to make the score 12-5 but the Hawks would not manage to get any closer.  
 
Mathews did not qualify for the victory in the winner-take-all game three as he only tossed 3.1 innings. He was effective however, as he only surrendered the two runs in the first frame to go with three hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. Perachi got the win in relief as he tossed 3.1 innings, allowing three hits and three runs, all earned, while striking out six.
 
Massaro took the loss for the Hawks as he went 2.1 innings allowing four runs on four hits and a walk.
 
The loss ends the Hawks season, and they will look retool and get back at it in 2022 after a normal offseason.