BRISTOL, R.I.- Dan Massaro (Fairfield, Conn.) pitched strongly in game one before the Hawks offense erupted for 18 runs in game two as the Roger Williams University Baseball team swept a midweek double-header from Nichols College at Paolino Field on Tuesday afternoon, 5-3 and 18-12. Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.) led the Hawks with five RBIs across the two games while Danny Roth (West Hartford, Conn.) slammed a home run for the third time in five games in the game two victory.

Hawk Highlights

Game 1

Joey Gulino (Meriden, Conn.): 0-for-1, 2 SB, 2 BB, 2 RS

Tyler Cedeno (Maynard, Mass.): 2-for-2, 3B, 3 SB, BB, 2 RBI, 1 RS

Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.): 1-for-2, 2 RBI

Dan Massaro (Fairfield, Conn.): (W, 1-0), 5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

Chris Flynn (Naugatuck, Conn.): (SV, 3), 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

For the Opponents

Ben Jerome (Waterford, Conn.): 2-for-3, 2 RBI

Brendan Duffy (Stratford, Conn.): (L, 0-1), 4.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

How It Happened

After a clean top of the first for Roger Williams starter Dan Massaro (Fairfield, Conn.), the Hawks offense went right to work against Nichols starter Jack Kabel (East Haven, Conn.). Joey Gulino (Meriden, Conn.) drew a leadoff walk advanced to second on a wild pitch and then stole third. He came home as Tyler Cedeno (Maynard, Mass.) tapped a grounder through and into right field to make it 1-0 Hawks.

The guests took the lead in the top of the second. With runners on first and second thanks to a walk and a single, with two outs, Andrew Croteau (Reading, Mass.) and Ben Jerome (Waterford, Conn.) dropped a pair of soft line drives into shallow right field to plate two runs and put the Bison in front 2-1.

RWU tied the score in the third. Matt Falvey (Walpole, Mass.) and Gulino drew back-to-back walks to start the inning before a pitching change and a double steal advanced them both into scoring position at second and third. Bison reliever Brendan Duffy (Stratford, Conn.) uncorked a wild pitch that took a hard bounce off the back stop and Falvey got caught trying to come home. Gulino took third on the play and after a Cedeno walk, Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.) brought him home on a sacrifice fly.

Nichols retook the lead in the fourth after a walk, a fielder's choice, and a stolen base put Will Kleinhenz (Madison, Conn.) on second base with two outs. It was then that Jerome struck once again dumping a flair into right to score the run and putting the Bison in front 3-2.

The Hawks offense was not deterred however, and they jumped in front for good in the fifth. Matt Massaro (Fairfield, Conn.) ripped a leadoff single and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Then, with two down, Cedeno split the right-center field gap for a run scoring triple, he came home on an infield single by Jenkins and the Hawks took a 4-3 lead.

The Bison threatened in the sixth after they got a leadoff double. Two batters later they finally chased Dan Massaro in favor of Kyle Schaefer (Madison, Conn.) who walked a man but picked up a strikeout to extinguish the threat.

Roger Williams got insurance in the home half on a Matt Massaro sacrifice fly before Chris Flynn (Naugatuck, Conn.) struck out the side in the seventh to secure the victory.

Dan Massaro's strong 5.2 innings allowing three runs was good for the victory while Duffy got hit with the loss for the visitors. Flynn's perfect seventh locked down his third save of the season.

Coach's Corner

Dan Massaro was great for us today. He attacked hitters with his fastball and kept them off balance with his off-speed. He was constantly in 0-1 and 0-2 counts which helped keep him in the driver seat. Our bullpen did a great job piggybacking off Massaro's outing with Flynn coming in and closing the door. Tyler Cedeno and Brandon Jenkins led the way offensively with great at-bats throughout the game. Offensively, as a team, we have to do a better job of pressuring the defense. We have to limit the strikeouts and put more balls in play with runners in scoring position. All in all, we played well in game one.

Game 2

Joey Gulino (Meriden, Conn.): 2-for-4, 2B, SB, 4 RBI, 2 RS

Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.): 3-for-5, BB, 3 RBI, 3 RS

Danny Roth (West Hartford, Conn.): 2-for-4, 2B, HR, 2 BB, 2 RBI, 4 RS

George Somers (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.): 4-for-5, 4 RBI, RS

Kyle Schaefer (Madison, Conn.): (W, 1-0), 3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

For the Opponents

Kyle Bouchard (Fall River, Mass.): 3-for-5, HR, BB, 2 RBI, 2 RS

Nathaniel Cormier (Sandisfield, Mass.): 3-for-5, SB, 2 RBI, 2 RS

Andrew Croteau (Reading, Mass.): 3-for-5, 3 RBI, 2 RS

Brodie Altiere (North Adams, Mass.): (L, 0-1), 0.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, BB

How It Happened

The second game of the doubleheader started much differently than game one as Nichols jumped all over Roger Williams starter Chris Crawford (Putnam Valley, N.Y.) in the first. After a strikeout to start the frame, the next nine Bison reached base by virtue of five singles and four walks against Crawford and Hawks reliever Matt Vernacatola (Berlin, Conn.) with a pick off mixed in there for the second out. Vernacatola inherited the bases loaded and allowed a two-run single but got out of the jam by inducing a ground out. In all, the Bison sent 11 men to the plate and scored six runs but as it turned out, we were just getting started.

The Hawks fought back in the bottom of the second. Danny Roth (West Hartford, Conn.) led off by drilling a double into right-center and he came home two batters later on a single by George Somers (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.). After Somers got picked off for the second out, RWU proceeded to load the bases on a single sandwiched between a pair of walks. Joey Gulino (Meriden, Conn.) cashed in by hitting a sharp grounder inside the third base bag to plate a pair of runs before Tyler Cedeno (Maynard, Mass.) brought home two more with a single up the middle. Cedeno was caught off the bag but the Hawks cut the lead to one and now only trailed, 6-5.

The Bison scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the third before the Hawks offense got back to work in the home half. Roth drew a one out walk and Kyle Davenport (Harrisville, R.I.) got drilled by a pitch setting up Somers who ripped his second RBI-single in as many innings. Matt Massaro (Fairfield, Conn.) rolled one over in the infield, but Somers beat the throw to second and the bases were loaded. Eddy Jackson (Seekonk, Mass.) brought home a run with a single up the middle before a pitching change and Gulino got plunked plating the tying run.

Kyle Bouchard (Fall River, Mass.) started the fourth for the Bison by launching a home run to right however, they were not done yet. Will Kleinhenz (Madison, Conn.) reached on an error ahead of a single and a fielders choice putting runners on the corners with two outs. Andrew Croteau (Reading, Mass.) hit a run scoring single before Victor Valentin (Miramar, Fla.) brought home another run on a double. In the home half, Somers brought home a run on a single for the third consecutive inning, but the Hawks still trailed, 11-9.

Nichols got an insurance run in the fifth before the RWU offense erupted again and took the lead for good in the bottom half. Jack Morin (North Andover, Mass.) led off with a walk and prompted a pitching change. Brodie Altiere (North Adams, Mass.) came on and induced a fielder's choice but a bad throw by the Bison trying to turn the double play allowed Jackson to advance. A single and a steal by Gulino put runners on first and second with two outs. Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.) then came through with a two-run single. After a free pass for Roth, Davenport singled home a run and advanced to second on a misplay in the outfield. Somers then notched yet another RBI-single, this time of the infield variety and after a bad throw, Davenport came dashing home to give the Hawks a 14-12 advantage.

Things finally settled down from there for both sides as the Hawks defense and bullpen held the Bison in check the rest of the way. RWU got insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings. First in the seventh, Roth launched a two-run home run to the opposite field for his third homer in the past five games. Then in the eighth, Roger Williams got a couple more on a sacrifice fly by Gulino and a run scoring single by Jenkins.

In a game that saw a combined ten pitchers, 30 runs and 33 hits, it was Kyle Schaefer (Madison, Conn.) who tossed three strong innings in relief for his first win of the season while Altiere got tagged with the loss.

Coach's Corner

The word I like to use is resiliency! It kind of defines our season so far. We spotted Nichols six runs in the first inning; however, we didn't quit. We bounced right back by chipping away in the second. We traded runs back and forth until the fifth when our bullpen locked it down. It was a full team effort in game two and I'm proud of the guys for coming together and not quitting!

What's Next

The Hawks begin their Easter weekend looking to extend their six-game winning streak at Paolino Field to start the year as they host Curry College for a double-header on Friday. First pitch of game one will be 12:00 PM.