AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The bats hammered out 11 hits on their way to their sixth double-digit scoring output in seven games to open the season as the Roger Williams University Baseball team collected a run-rule victory over Worcester State University, 12-1 at the Russmatt Baseball Complex on Wednesday afternoon. Matt Hynes (Farmingdale, N.Y.) impressed to earn the win in his collegiate debut while fellow freshman Alec Lavallee (Cumberland, R.I.) backed his effort with a trio of runs driven in.

With the win, Roger Williams improves to 7-0 on the season and their seven-game winning streak is their longest such stretch since April of 2015. The Lancers, meanwhile, fall to 2-5 on the campaign.

Lavallee was one of four Hawks to plate multiple runs in the contest though he was the only one to drive in three. Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.), Tommy Hobin (Madison, Conn.), and Ben Bonavita (East Longmeadow, Mass.) also drove in a pair of runs each.

Hynes dealt with traffic on the basepaths for much of his 4.2 innings of work in his RWU debut as he surrendered five hits, five walks, and hit one batter, but he only allowed a single run and stuck out one to earn the win. Cole Glassburn (Hopkinton, Mass.) started for Worcester State, throwing the first three full frames allowing five runs, all earned, on five hits, three walks, and one hit by pitch. He did fan five along the way but nonetheless took the loss falling to 0-1.

Hawk Highlights

Brandon Jenkins: 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 RS

Alec Lavallee: 2-for-4, SB, BB, 3 RBI, RS

Tommy Hobin: 2-for-4, BB, 2 RBI, RS

Jack Morin: 1-for-2, 3 BB, RBI, 2 RS

Matt Hynes: (W, 1-0), 4.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 1 K

For The Opponents

Tom Halliwell: 2-for-3, BB, RS

Sean Whitney-Dutton: 2-for-3

Chris Ausiello: 1-for-3

Alex Sorenti-Burns: 1-for-4

Cole Glassburn: (L, 0-1), 3.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 5 K

How It Happened

Playing as the designated road team on this afternoon, Roger Williams would get on the scoreboard right away for the second-straight game. Tyler Cedeno (Maynard, Mass.) led off by pulling a double right down the third base line. He advanced to third on a ground out by Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.) then advanced the final 90 feet on an infield single to the shortstop hole by Jack Morin (North Andover, Mass.) and the Hawks were in front 1-0.

Worcester State would look to battle back in the home half against Matt Hynes (Farmingdale, N.Y.) who appeared to experience some first-start jitters. He walked the leadoff man, Zack Roberts (Northbridge, Mass.), on four pitches but got some help when Morin gunned him down trying to swipe second. A single and a walk on either side of a ground out ensued but Hynes would escape the jam by forcing a ground out to third to retire the side.

After neither side got anything going in the second, RWU's offense got into gear in the third and it was once again Cedeno who served as the ignition. He singled through and into left, then Matt Massaro (Fairfield, Conn.) sacrificed him to second. Jenkins checked in by following that with his second run-scoring double in as many days then a pair of walks drawn by Morin and Christopher Flynn (Randolph, N.J.) on either side of a strikeout loaded the bases. Ben Bonavita (East Longmeadow, Mass.) then stepped in with the bases stuffed and he would take the first pitch of his at bat off his left shoulder to force in a run. Alec Lavallee (Cumberland, R.I.) would plate two more by poking a single through the right side to extend the lead to five.

Hynes would pick up his first collegiate strikeout to open a scoreless bottom half but ran into trouble in the fourth. With one out, a walk, a bloop single, and a hit batsman, with a fielder's choice mixed in for out number two, loaded the bags with Lancers for Joe Rogato (Methuen, Mass.). He would tap a grounder into the shortstop hole on which Tommy Hobin (Madison, Conn.) made an outstanding backhanded stop on a slide, then planted and rifled a throw to second to get the fielders choice and escape the jam.

RWU would get more on the scoreboard in the fifth. Morin led off by reaching on an error then a Hobin walk and a bunt single by Flynn loaded the bases. Bonavita drove a sacrifice fly to center to score Morin, advancing the Hobin to third in the process. Lavallee followed with a pop up that found grass down the right field line to score a second run. Flynn and Lavallee executed a double steal to put two in scoring position and the move would pay off as Owen Hibbard (Roxbury, Conn.) did his job by poking a slow roller past the mound plating Flynn on an RBI ground out to second. Moments later, Lavallee came across the plate on a wild pitch and the Hawk advantage was 9-0.

In the home half, the Lancers loaded the bases with two down on a pair of singles and a walk prompting a change on the mound. Connor Padovich (Bristol, R.I.) came on and balked to bring in a run but forced a groundout to retire the side.

In the seventh, RWU would wrap up the scoring. Hibbard singled to the opposite field and advanced to second on a hit and run, and Massaro drew a free pass to put two men on. That set up another RBI opportunity for Jenkins and he came through rocketing a single back through the box to score Hibbard. Morin's third walk drawn of the afternoon stuffed the pillows with Hawks to bring Hobin to the plate and he would continue his outstanding start to the season with a two-run single to left. The momentum was halted when Flynn came to the plate and, in what can only be assumed to be the longest at-bat in program history, he ran the count to 2-2 before an hour-long lighting delay halted the conclusion of the at-bat.

Roger Williams could not plate another run when play resumed before Zayvier Hartman (Clovis, N.M.) made his Hawks debut and threw a 1-2-3 bottom half including a strikeout to secure the run-rule victory.

Coach's Corner

The story of the game today is the same as the story of the week. We have been hitting everything. It does not matter the count, it does not matter the batter, it does not matter the situation. We are simply driving baseballs and more importantly, we are stringing them together.

On the bump, we were solid, we will take one run allowed any day. However, we are still getting into too many disadvantage counts on the bump. We were able to get outs despite it but good teams mash when they are ahead, so we are looking to avoid those.

Defensively we were sharp. A couple timely double plays and I thought we looked the sharpest in the field that we have looked to this point this season.

Overall, my feeling is the same as the one I have had about this roster and this group all season so far. I am excited about this group of men, and group of baseball players that we have assembled, and I am really looking forward to what we can do together this season.

What's Next

Roger Williams will have a well-earned off day on Thursday before they will face off against UMaine-Farmington on Friday morning. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 9:45 AM.