BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Softball team stranded 14 runners on base, including ten in scoring position as they suffered a doubleheader sweep at the hands of Commonwealth Coast Conference rival Endicott College on Sunday afternoon at Paolino Field. The Hawks mustered just two hits off Maria Hanchuk (South Windsor, Conn.) in a run-rule defeat, 8-0, in game one before they abandoned ten runners on base in game two, falling 7-0.
 
With the pair of losses, RWU falls to 3-16 on the season and complete their first weekend of conference play at 1-3. The Gulls on the other hand continue their strong start to the spring, improving to 11-5 and 4-0 in CCC play.
 
Ellie Fleming (Marshfield, Mass.) took the ball in game one for the hosting Hawks and she was tagged for the loss despite battling through 3.1 innings of work, falling to 0-6 on the year. Fleming finished by allowing five runs, four of them earned, on eight hits and two walks while striking out one. Hanchuk got the start for the visitors in the first contest and threw all five innings for her fourth complete game of the season, allowing just two hits and three walks and fanning six to improve to 6-2.
 
Nicole Corey (Dighton, Mass.) got her first career start in game two for Roger Williams, but she struggled allowing four runs, two of them earned, on four hits, among them a pair of home runs, and one walk while striking out two in just 1.2 innings in the circle, dropping to 1-4 in the process. Molly O'Neill (Shrewsbury, Mass.) got the ball to start game two for Endicott but did not qualify for the win after throwing 3.0+ innings allowing five hits and walking one though she did keep RWU off the scoreboard. Instead, Jaylin Couto (Taunton, Mass.) got the win to improve to 5-1 after twirling 4.0 innings of shutout softball, allowing just two hits and striking out five along the way.
 
Hawk Highlights
Game 1
Isabelle Rosado: 2-for-2, SB
Taylor Howell: 0-for-0, 2 BB
Caroline Thomas: 0-for-1, BB
Madison Tobin: 0-for-1, SAC Bunt
 
Ellie Fleming: (L, 0-6), 3.1 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
 
For The Opponents
Katie Watts: 4-for-4, 2 RBI, RS
Taylor Chelak: 2-for-3, RBI
Chrissy Marotto: 2-for-4, RS
Lauren Misiaszik: 1-for-3, BB, RBI, RS
 
Maria Hanchuck: (W, 6-2), 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
 
How It Happened
After escaping a bases loaded jam in the first inning of game one, Ellie Fleming (Marshfield, Mass.) would not be as fortunate at the outset of the second frame for Roger Williams. Lauren Bower (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) leadoff with an infield single for Endicott then advanced 60 feet on passed ball. Carly Marchitto (Orange, Conn.) followed by singling into right field, but Alexandra Lombardo (Thomaston, Conn.) could not handle the throw in by Casey Uryga (Berlin, Conn.) cleanly so despite Marchitto being caught in no-mans land between first and second, she was able to advance, and Bower came home. Christina Nowicki (Chelsea, Mass.) then popped one into shallow right the Uryga got a bad read on and despite recovering to make a diving catch coming in, Marchitto was able to take third. Katie Watts (Swampscott, Mass.) singled to the opposite field bringing in a second run and the Gulls had an early 2-0 edge. 
 
The visitors loaded the bases with one out in the third, however Fleming wiggled out of the threat unscathed but after Endicott once again filled the bags with one out in the fourth, RWU made a change in the circle, turning to Taylor Myers (East Haven, Conn.). Lauren Misiaszek (Londonderry, Conn.) singled home a run with a hit to right as it was misplayed by Uryga and the runners were able to advance another 60 feet, among them, another run. Taylor Chelak (Westborough, Mass.) followed by scorching a grounder to second that Madison Tobin (Pittsfield, Mass.) dove to knock down, but everyone was safe on the play. Misiaszek came in on a wild pitch and just like that, the Gulls advantage was 6-0.
 
Endicott tacked on two more in the fifth as they opened the frame with a walk and a bunt single. Watts brought home a run with a single to left but the ball once again got away from the RWU fielder, this time Caroline Thomas (Cranston, R.I.), allowing another run to score on the play.
 
All the while, Maria Hanchuk (South Windsor, Conn.) was dealing. In both the first and third innings she allowed an Isabelle Rosado (Central Islip, N.Y.) single followed by a Taylor Howell (Sandwich Mass.) walk but in both instances the runners did not advance any further as she went the distance in the run-rule win for the guests.
 
Game 2
Jamie Wells: 2-for-3
Sydney Provencal: 2-for-4
Madison Tobin: 1-for-1, HBP
Francesca Cioffi: 1-for-4
 
Nicole Corey: (L, 1-4), 1.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
 
For The Opponents
Raven Comtois: 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, RS
Keelin Spencer: 1-for-4, HR, BB, RBI, RS
Chrissy Marotto: 2-for-5, 2B, RBI
Carly Marchitto: 3-for-4, 2B, RBI, 3 RS
 
Molly O'Neil: 3.0+ IP, 5 H, R, ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Jaylin Couto: (W, 5-1), 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
 
How It Happened
If you were late returning from the in-between game break, you likely missed a lot as Endicott jumped all over Roger Williams starter Nicole Corey (Dighton, Mass.) in game two. They required just a single pitch to gain the advantage as Keelin Spencer (San Jose, Calif.) clobbered a leadoff home run to left. Then, two batters later, Raven Comtois (Milford, N.H.) would match her feat and all of a sudden, the Gulls had a 2-0 lead before half of the crowd was even back with their lunch.
 
The visitors doubled their lead in the second. Carly Marchitto (Orange, Conn.) reached on an error to start the inning as Madison Tobin (Pittsfield, Mass.) spiked the throw to first. Katie Watts (Swampscott, Mass.) singled three batters later before Comtois singled home a run and Crissy Marotto plated another one with a double down the leftfield line making the lead four. Lia Nocella (Tyngsboro, Mass.) would enter to pitch for RWU, inducing a flyout to end the inning, but the damage was done.  
 
A walk and a sacrifice bunt got things going for the Gulls in the top of the third then Marchitto ripped a two-bagger inside of first as the ball got hung up under the tarp for a run-scoring ground-rule double. Nocella picked up a strikeout for out number two then a fly ball to center, but the ball jettisoned out of the glove of Sydney Provencal (Cumberland, R.I.) and run number six came in to score.
 
All the while, RWU was getting plenty of traffic on the basepaths but simply could not break through on the scoreboard. They got a runner on second with one out in the first, loaded the bases in the second and got a two-out single in the third but just could not find a way across the plate. Their top scoring opportunity would come in the home half of the fourth. Taylor Bigliani (Saint James, N.Y.) drew a leadoff walk, Jamie Wells (Castle Rock, Colo.) scorched a single to left and after a pitching change saw Jaylin Couto (Taunton, Mass.) enter, Tobin took a pitch off the funny bone to load the bases with no outs. However, Couto picked up a strikeout and forced a pair of pop outs and the Hawks squandered an opportunity to get back into the game.
 
The guests added one more on a Kaylie Leclair (Bellingham, Mass.) single in the fifth as Couto shut things down from there and the Gulls completed the doubleheader sweep.                        
 
What's Next
Roger Williams will look to get back in the win column when they make the short trip up to Providence to play in-state rival Johnson & Wales on Wednesday night beginning at 4:00 PM.