BRISTOL, R.I.- The bullpen for the Roger Williams University Baseball team came up, huge throwing eight innings of one-run baseball while the offense used a Ben Bonavita (East Longmeadow, Mass.) long ball as a launching point to beat Western New England University 12-4 at Paolino Field on Wednesday afternoon. After a slow start, the Hawks offense caught fire in the middle innings, as eight different players recorded extra-base hits in the come-from-behind, non-conference victory.
With the win, RWU had now won eight of their last nine games to improve to 16-5 on the season. On the other side, the Golden Bears fall to 2-5-1 on the year.
 
Hawk Highlights
Ben Bonavita (East Longmeadow, Mass.): 1-for-3, HR, BB, 2 RBI, RS
Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.): 2-for-4, 2B, BB, 2 RBI, 3 RS
Danny Roth (West Hartford, Conn.): 2-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI
 
Chris Crawford (Putnam Valley, N.Y.): 1.0+ IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Matt Vernacatola (Berlin, Conn.): (W, 3-1), 4.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
 
For The Opponents
Sebastian Grignano (Meridan, Conn.): 2-for-3, 2B, BB, RBI, RS
Sean Jamieson (New Fairfield, Conn.): 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, RS
 
Matt Vigliotti (Verplanck, N.Y.): 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Aaron Cole (Forestdale, Mass.): (L, 0-1), 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
 
How It Happened
It was a rough outing for Hawks starter Chris Crawford (Putnam Valley, N.Y.), as Western New England jumped right on his in the first. After getting the leadoff batter to fly out, Sean Jamieson (New Fairfield, Conn.) ripped a double into right. Crawford followed that up by plunking Vincent Caccavale (West Hartford, Conn.) ahead of Joe Webber (Marshfield, Mass.) who shot a single into right to score Jamieson while Caccavale went first-to-third. A walk loaded the bases before Crawford induced a pop-up for out number two. However, he then unleashed a wild pitch that bounced hard off the backstop and kicked right back to the home plate area, but away from RWU catcher Jack Morin (North Andover, Mass.) up the first base line thus allowing Caccavale to cross the plate. Another free pass re-loaded the bases but then Crawford picked up a strikeout to escape further damage.
The Golden Bears offense went right back to work against Crawford in the second. Sebastian Grignano (Meridan, Conn.) led-off with a two-bagger and advanced to third on a single by EJ Dudley (Meridan, Conn.). This prompted a pitching change as the Hawks turned to Conor Gaughan (Walpole, Mass.) who immediately got help from Morin who gunned down Dudley trying to steal second. Jamieson recorded a sacrifice fly to center to score the run and extend the lead to three, but Gaughan limited the damage.
The Hawks offense awoke in the bottom of the third against WNE starter Matt Vigliotti (Verplanck, N.Y.). With one out, Eddy Jackson (Seekonk, Mass.) drew a free pass and Joey Gulino (Meriden, Conn.) scorched a double down the left field line to put two runners in scoring position. Morin came to bat and did his job bringing home Jackson on a ground out to the shortstop and cut the lead to 3-1.
It appeared Western New England was going to strike again in the fourth after Scott West (Lincoln Park, N.J.) and Grignano drew back-to-back walks to start the inning. This forced RWU to turn to the bullpen again as they called upon Matt Vernacatola (Berlin, Conn.). He came on and promptly picked off West before he threw a single pitch. A couple of groundouts later and he was out of the jam unscathed.
In the home half of the inning, the Golden Bears made a pitching change turning to Aaron Cole (Forestdale, Mass.) who hit the first batter he faced, George Somers (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.). After recording an out, Ben Bonavita (East Longmeadow, Mass.) stepped up to the plate and he walloped the eighth pitch of the at-bat over the fence in left-center field for his fifth home run of the season to tie the score at three. Matt Massaro (Fairfield, Conn.) followed that up by clubbing a double and after the second out was recorded, Eddy Jackson (Seekonk, Mass.) scorched a line drive into right-center field for two bags as Massaro came home to put the Hawks in front, 4-3.
Roger Williams got a little breathing room in the fifth on a Danny Roth (West Hartford, Conn.) RBI-single before they broke the game open in the sixth. Facing the fourth pitcher of the game for WNE, Jon Civiello (Killingworth, Conn.), Tommy Hobin (Madison, Conn.) ripped a double down the third base line. After a Jackson walk and a flyout, Morin stepped up and lined a single into left-center field to score a run. Both he and Jackson were able to advance another 90-feet after an errand throw by the centerfielder, Jamieson. Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.) took advantage bringing both home with a single to left-center. This caused another pitching change as the Golden Bears turned to Tyler Achatz (Longmeadow, Mass.) to face Somers who got plunked for the second time in the game. A balk advanced both runners for Roth who scorched a double down the third base line to score both runners. After a walk to Bonavita, Western New England turned to their third pitcher of the inning, Kyle Roberts (Westfield, Mass.) who induced a line out to retire the side, however the Hawks held a 10-3 advantage.
The Golden Bears got one back in the eighth, Zach Snow (Charlestown, R.I.) started the inning by hitting a grounder to first that Jenkins knocked down and recovered but then pegged the runner with the throw to reach on an error. Jake Romano (Southington, Conn.) followed that up with a single off the foot of Vernacatola to put two runners on base. Vernacatola remained in the game to induce a fielder's choice to third before exiting from his terrific outing in relief. Nick Harper (Westwood, N.J.) came on and allowed an inherited runner to cross the plate and make the score 10-4.
Roger Williams plated some insurance runs in the eighth. Jenkins led off by taking a free pass ahead of Somers who lined a double down the right field line. Jenkins scored all the way around from first on the play. Somers advanced to third on a fly out and scored on an RBI fielder's choice by Massaro to make the score 12-4.
After combining to throw just four innings, neither starting pitcher factored into the decision in this one. Instead, it was Vernacatola who earned his third win of the year thanks to his crucial 4.1 innings in relief, during which he only allowed two baserunners and a single unearned run.
Cole surrendered the lead and the go-ahead run in the fourth for WNE and was tagged with the loss, his first of the year.

Coach's Corner
I have said it before, the word that comes to mind when I think about this team is resiliency.  We fell behind by three in the first two innings, however, this team does not go away.  They keep grinding and pecking away at you until you break.  Eventually that is what happened today.  Full team effort on all sides of the ball.  We are playing extremely well going into a big weekend against Salve Regina.   
 
What's Next
The Hawks begin their final conference series of the season with a showdown with the number-seven regionally ranked Salve Regina Seahawks beginning on Saturday afternoon. They will travel down to Newport for a doubleheader with game one beginning at noon.