PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Softball team swept Johnson & Wales (Providence) in Conference of New England doubleheader action on Wednesday afternoon. The Hawks took game one 3-2 in eight innings and won game two 13-5.
Game One: RWU 3, JWU 2 (eight inn.)
On the mound for the Hawks, Raegen Germano (Old Tappan, N.J.) threw 8.0 innings to earn the complete game win. Germano struck out five and allowed three hits and two runs in the contest.
For the Wildcats, Jill Reed took the loss. Reed pitched 8.0 innings, striking out nine, walking one, and allowing seven hits.
Roger Williams struck first in the top of the third to take a 2-0 lead. Adrianna Amaral (Taunton, Mass.) struck out, but reached first on a wild pitch. Calysa Moody (West Springfield, Mass.) pinch ran for Amaral and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Kayleigh O'Connor (Southington, Conn.). Hailey Williams (Vernon, Conn.) grounded out to the pitcher to move Moody to third, before Lucy Maurao (Holliston, Mass.) knocked a single up the middle to score Moody. Shannon Starratt (Lake George, N.Y.) then hit an RBI double to center field to score Maurao.
JWU leveled the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth, as Jessica Forneiro singled before Mady Lyons homered.
The score would stay at 2-2 until the Hawks scored one in the top of the eighth. O'Connor was the runner placed on second for the Hawks in extras, as Williams doubled to right to put two in scoring position. Maurao lined out to center field to score O'Connor and give RWU the 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the frame.
The Wildcats placed Abby Nersesian on second in extras to pinch run for Chloe Brunelle. Hailey Cardiello hit into a double play as she flied out to shallow center and Grace Forsythe (Woburn, Mass.) caught Narsesian at second on the tag up. With no one on and two outs, the Hawks shut JWU down as pinch hitter Harper Ellis flied out to right to end the game.
Roger Williams collected seven hits in the contest. Leading the Hawks, Maurao had a hit and two RBIs and Starratt recorded two hits and an RBI. O'Connor and Moody each scored a run for Roger Williams.
Lyons accounted for both JWU runs with her fourth-inning home run, and the Wildcats were limited to just three hits.
Game Two: RWU 13, JWU 5 (five inn.)
The Wildcats took no time getting on the board in game two, as Morgan Pelletier launched a solo home run to put JWU up 1-0 in the bottom of the second.
RWU answered immediately in the top of the third as Maurao singled to left and moved to second on a wild pitch. Starratt drew a walk to put two on for the Hawks. Madison Moran (Attleboro, Mass.) hit into a double play that got Maurao out a third, but kept Starratt in scoring position on second. McKenzie Foley (Hanover, Mass.) hit a two-run homerun to put the Hawks ahead 2-1. Madison Tucholski (Massapequa, N.Y.) restarted the rally as she singled to right and advanced to third on a throwing error. O'Connor doubled to right center to score another run for the Hawks and bring the lead to 3-1.
JWU would answer with one run in the bottom of the third coming off a solo homerun from Lyons.
The Hawks would plate four more in the top of the fourth. RWU drew two walks and a hit by pitch to load the bases with one out. Moran reached on a fielding error and scored two to extend the Roger Williams lead to 5-2. Foley doubled to center make it 6-2, before Tucholski grounded out to score Moran and make it 7-2.
The Wildcats tacked on one more in the bottom of the fourth, as Ellis doubled to left center to score Pelletier and bring their deficit to 7-3.
Roger Williams got right back to work in the top of the fifth, plating six runs on five hits. Forsythe started the inning off with a solo homerun, before Maurao hit a two-run homer two batters later to bring the lead to 10-3. Starratt singled up the middle and advanced on a wild pitch to restart the rally. Moran doubled to left center to score one, before Foley launched her second two-run homerun of the day to put the Hawks up 13-3.
In the bottom of the fifth, JWU tried to stay alive as Jadyn Torres singled to right center and Lyons hit her second home run of the day. However, the Wildcats would fall 13-5.
In the circle for the Hawks, Keira Quadros (East Providence, R.I.) pitched 5.0 innings in the win. Quadros struck out three, walked one, and allowed five runs on seven hits.
The Hawks had 12 hits and four home runs on the day. Foley led the Hawks, going 4-for-4 with a double, two home runs, and five RBI. Maurao went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI, while Forsythe went 1-for-3 with a home run and one RBI.
For JWU, Brianna Ghilardi took the loss, pitching 3.1 innings and allowing six hits and walking four. Madi Wong had 1.0 inning of relief, giving up five runs on three hits. Jill Reed went back in for the Wildcats for 0.2 innings and gave up three runs on three hits.
The Wildcats collected just seven hits with three home runs. Lyons led JWU going 3-for-3 with two home runs and a double with three RBI.
Roger Williams (12-6, 4-1 CNE) will host Wentworth on Saturday, April 11, before hosting Suffolk for senior day on Sunday, April 12.
