WORCESTER, Mass. – The Roger Williams University Baseball team defeated WPI 13-8 on Wednesday in nonconference play.
The Hawks jumped out to an early lead in the opening frame, plating five runs on four hits. Devin Driscoll (Portsmouth, N.H.) drew a lead-off walk before Luke Miele (Wellesley, Mass.) and Noah Hester (Old Saybrook, Conn.) each singled to load the bases. Braden Ventura (Swansea, Mass.) drew a bases loaded walk, before Sam Arcieri (Warwick, R.I.) doubled down the left field line to bring the score to 3-0. Casey DeLorenzo (East Greenwich, R.I.) singled to right to bring home Ventura and extend the lead to 4-0. Nick Dimaso (Coutlandt Manor, N.Y.) walked to load the bases again for the Hawks before Jack Tubman (Bellingham, Mass.) was hit by a pitch to bring in Arcieri and bring the score to 5-0.
In the second, Hester drew a lead-off walk and stole second to put himself in scoring position. Hester advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt, before Ventura hit a ground-rule double to bring the score to 6-0. WPI got things going in the bottom half of the second when Jonathan Lattimer singled to center, Jacob Wiberg was hit by a pitch, and Matt Shea singled to load the bases. The Engineers would bring one run in on a sacrifice fly to bring the score to 6-1. The Hawks got out of the jam on a pair of fielder's choices.
Tubman led off the third with a solo homerun to bring the Hawks' lead to 7-1. Hester singled to left and Ventura drew a walk to put two on for the Hawks. Arcieri singled to left to score Hester, before DeLorenzo doubled to left to score Ventura and bring the lead to 9-1. Will Florio (San Diego, Calif.) then hit a three-run homerun down the right field line and brought the score to 12-1.
The Engineers would plate two in the bottom of the fourth as a single and back-to-back walks would load the bases. Jack Zawacki singled to first base to move WPI's deficit to 12-3.
The Hawks would tack on one more run in the top of the seventh, as Ventura drew another walk to lead off the inning. Jack Murray (Brookfield, Conn.) would pinch run and steal second, before advancing to third on a wild pitch. Murray would then score on a wild pitch to bring the Hawks' lead to 13-3.
Roger Williams' bullpen held WPI scoreless through the seventh before the Engineers rallied late. WPI put a runner on in the bottom of the eighth, as James DiGiovanni reached on a throwing error and advanced to second to put one in scoring position. He would advance to third on a sacrifice fly, before Chuck Cappello would reach on an error and plate DiGiovanni to bring the Engineers' deficit to 13-4. WPI would tack on one more run as a paid of singles from Zawacki and Drew Herlin loaded the bases before a sacrifice fly would put the score at 13-5.
The Engineers threatened in the bottom of the ninth as they plated three more on two hits to bring the score to 13-8, but the Hawks held on and stopped WPI's rally.
For the Hawks, Arcieri finished with two hits and three RBIs, while DeLorenzo added two hits and two RBIs. Florio drove in three runs, and Tubman had two RBIs. Hester reached base multiple times, scored three runs and stole two bases.
Dylan Brenner (Andover, Mass.) earned the win in relief, allowing no runs over 1.2 innings. Starter Owen Scarice (Madison, Conn.) allowed three runs on five hits over four innings, with one strikeout and three walks.
Robert Runge took the loss for WPI after allowing five runs in the first inning on four hits and walking three. WPI's bullpen could not keep the Hawks at bay, as they threw six pitchers over the rest of the eight innings.
Roger Williams (9-12, 2-5 CNE) will head to Gordon on Saturday, Apr. 11 for a doubleheader before hosting Curry on Tuesday, Apr. 14.
