DAVENPORT, Fla. – In a dominant showing, the Roger Williams University Baseball team swept a doubleheader from UMaine-Farmington, winning 20-3 and 4-1 at the Russmatt Baseball Complex on Friday. Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.) clobbered two home runs in the first contest while RWU got strong pitching throughout all 14 innings thanks to the efforts of starters Justin Garcia (Foxborough, Mass.) and Kyle Schaefer (Madison, Conn.) and six different relievers.
With the wins, Roger Williams improves to 9-0 heading into their final challenge in the Sunshine State on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Beavers drop to 0-5 thus far this spring.
In game one, Garcia threw five-plus strong innings, fanning nine while allowing two runs, both earned, on three hits, and three walks earning the victory in the process to move to 2-0. Schaefer followed up by matching Garcia's innings total for his first win of the season in the second contest holding UMaine-Farmington scoreless across his five frames. He only allowed three hits and a walk while striking out six. Anthony Sapienza (North Andover, Mass.) locked down a one-out save in game two for the first save of his career.
For the Beavers, Ky Morris (East Wenatchee, Wash.) got knocked around in two innings of work as the game one starter. He surrendered ten runs, nine earned, on eight hits and three walks while striking out two in the losing effort to fall to 0-1. In game two, Lucas Tuttle (Framingham, Mass.) largely held the Hawks in check, throwing five innings of three-run ball while allowing two hits, walking four, and striking out four, but he ended up taking the loss falling to 0-1.
In addition to Jenkins mashing his first two long balls of the campaign, Ben Bonavita (East Longmeadow, Mass.) had an outstanding day blasting three extra-base hits with two doubles and a triple across the two matchups, he also drew a pair of walks, swiped two bags, drove in four runs, and scored four more. Mike Bogosian (Cranston, R.I.) tacked on two hits and two RBIs off the bench for RWU.
Hawk Highlights
Game 1
Brandon Jenkins: 2-for-2, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 RS
Ben Bonavita: 2-for-2, 2B, 3B, SB, BB, 4 RBI, 3 RS
Jack Morin: 2-for-4, SB, BB, 3 RS
Mike Bogosian: 2-for-2, 2 RBI, RS
Justin Garcia: (W, 2-0), 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 K
For The Opponents
Hunter LaBossiere: 2-for-3, RBI
Will Cauchon: 0-for-1, 2 BB, 2 RS
Riley Bartell: 1-for-3, 2B, BB, RBI
Derek Gendreau: 0-for-3, RBI
Ky Morris: (L, 0-1), 2.0 IP, 8 H, 10 R, 9 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
How It Happened
Opening the day as the designated road team allowed the offense to go right to work in the top of the first against UMaine-Farmington starter Ky Morris (East Wenatchee, Wash.), and get to work they did. Tyler Cedeno (Maynard, Mass.) led off with a double down the left field line and after an out was made, Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.) got every stitch of a 3-1 offering and sent it well beyond the right field fence for his first home run of the season. Jack Morin (North Andover, Mass.) kept the line moving with a single and after the second out was recorded, the Hawks got back to what they have been doing the entire spring break trip so far, getting into a grove with two outs. Christopher Flynn (Randolph, N.J.) came just a few feet short of his first home run as a Hawk but settled for an RBI triple and after a Ben Bonavita (East Longmeadow, Mass.) walk and stolen base, two runners were in scoring position for Nick Zobian (Califon, N.J.). He would cash in by dumping a double into right, scoring a pair and making the score 5-0. Owen Hibbard (Roxbury, Conn.) would get plunked and got picked off ending the inning, but the damage was done.
The bats got right back to work in the second frame. Out number one was recorded, and Matt Massaro (Fairfield, Mass.) drew a walk setting the stage for Jenkins again and once again he delivered by obliterating the second pitch he saw over the right field wall for his second long ball of the game. Another Morin single got things started again and he stole second. The second out was recorded and Flynn took a walk bringing up Bonavita who clubbed a ball about as far as one could without hitting the fence and legged out a three-bagger to plate a pair. Zobian followed by rocketing a grounder to short that was not fielded cleanly allowing Bonavita to score and the Roger Williams advantage was double digits.
The Hawks kept piling it on in the third, now facing Aaron Goschke (Gorham, Maine), a pair of walks on either side of a hit batsmen loaded the bases with one out. Tommy Hobin (Madison, Conn.) reached on an error by the shortstop plating two runs and then an excuse-me dribbler in front of the plate by Flynn allowed both runners to get into scoring position. Bonavita once again came through with a double down the right field line to bring two more run home. Two batters later, a Hibbard single to the opposite field made the lead 15 runs.
The Beavers got on the board in the bottom of the third. The got the bases loaded with one away on a trio of walks against Justin Garcia (Foxborough, Mass.). Hunter LaBossiere (Oxford, Maine) would bring a run in by flaring a single into right, but Garcia avoided further damage by forcing a double play.
With a massive advantage on the scoreboard already, Roger Williams went about emptying their bench and their reserves kept on scoring. They got a run across the plate in the fourth on a Mike Bogosian (Cranston, R.I.) RBI single and then another one in the fifth when Max Andrade (Tewksbury, N.J.) brought in another run with a sacrifice fly.
After RWU got another one in the top of the sixth thanks to an RBI single to right off the bat of Alex Gulino (Ashburn, Va.). In the home half, LaBossiere ended Garcia's day with a line drive single to center. Matt Seminara (Succasunna, N.J.) came on to make his collegiate debut and was greeted with a double down the leftfield line. Seminara did allow the inherited runner to come home on an RBI groundout two batters later but then picked up a strikeout to retire the side.
The Hawks added two more on an Ethan Keeney (Harwich, Mass.) RBI groundout and a run-scoring single by Bogosian in the top of the seventh. Then in the bottom half, against Kyle Egan (New London, Conn.), a bases loaded walk forced in a Beavers run but MarkAnthony Glickman (Newbury, Mass.) came in to record the final out and finalize the win.
Game 2
Matt Massaro: 1-for-3, SB, BB, 2 RBI
Ben Bonavita: 1-for-2, 2B, SB, BB, RS
Tyler Cedeno: 1-for-4, RS
London Camelo: 0-for-1, BB, RBI
Kyle Schaefer: (W, 1-0), 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Anthony Sapienza: (SV, 1), 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
For The Opponents
Hunter LaBossiere: 2-for-3, 2B, BB
Tyler Lambert: 2-for-3, RS
Derek Gendreau: 0-for-2, 2 BB, RBI
Jonny Pruett: 1-for-3
Lucas Tuttle: (L, 0-1), 5.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
How It Happened
In the sweltering heat, game two progressed about as quickly as the thermometer rose on this hot Florida afternoon. Roger Williams was the designated home team in this one and therefore Kyle Schaefer (Madison, Conn.) took the ball first, allowing a leadoff double to Hunter LaBossiere (Oxford, Maine). Schaefer settled down from there with a couple strikeouts and a pop out to get out of the first unharmed. LaBossiere would get to second again via a single followed by a walk in the third and the Beavers once again got a runner on second base in the fourth. However, at no point did Schaefer allow a runner to advance to third while he was on the mound and it was a good thing because after their huge offensive output in game one, the offense sputtered a little bit in the second game.
The Hawks did manufacture a trio of runs in the bottom of the second. Ben Bonavita (East Longmeadow, Mass.) led off by drawing a free pass before swiping second. A productive flyout by Tommy Hobin (Madison, Conn.) and a sacrifice fly by London Camelo (Bristol, R.I.) later, and RWU had a run on the scoreboard. They were not done however, as with two outs a 3-1 pitch ran up and in on Owen Hibbard (Roxbury, Conn.), hitting him in the process and forcing him to exit the game. Mike Bogosian (Cranston, R.I.) pinch ran and went first-to-third on a Tyler Cedeno (Maynard, Mass.) single through the right side. Cedeno moved up 90 feet on steal and Matt Massaro (Fairfield, Conn.) brought both runs home ripping a single back through the box to make the lead 3-0.
Following a perfect top of the sixth with a pair of Ks by Brandon Csizmadia (Trumbull, Conn.), Roger Williams went to work piecing together an insurance run in the home half. Bonavita smashed a ball over the right fielder's head and after some brief confusion on if it was a home run or a ground-rule double, it was ruled as the later. Alec Lavallee (Cumberland, R.I.) came in to pinch run and took third on a wild pitch with Hobin at the dish. Hobin would drop down a safety squeeze that was fielded by the UMaine-Farmington pitcher, T.J. Dorn (Westbrook, Maine) who tried a glove-flip to the plate, but Lavallee beat the tag. RWU threatened for more, getting the bases loaded but they could not break things open.
This kept the door open for the Beavers who were now facing freshman Dom DeFeo (Kennebunk, Maine). He retired two of the first three men he faced but a single to center and a walk loaded the bases. This prompted another change as Anthony Sapienza (North Andover, Mass.) came on and while he walked in an inherited runner, he did induce a pop out to right to end the ballgame and earn his first career save.
Coach's Corner
Today was a tale of two games! In game one we dominated in every aspect of the game. Jenkins was a monster with two homers, and we got a glimpse of the future when we went to our reserves late in the game and they did a great job picking up where the starters left off.
Garcia was excellent in his third start of the year and then the bullpen did a nice job finishing it off.
Game two, was similar to game one on the mound. Schaefer was excellent in his five innings of shutout ball then Csizmedia made some quality pitches in relief.
At the plate, the UMaine-Framingham kept us off balance and we did not make the adjustments we needed to make at the plate. Nonetheless, our offense is relentless and came up with productive outs and manufactured some runs that will be important when we get into conference play.
What's Next
Roger Williams concludes their slate of games in Florida when they battle Ramapo on get-away Saturday. First pitch is set for 10:00 AM.