BOSTON, Mass. – Kyle Schaefer (Madison, Conn.) was masterful allowing just a single run across 7.2 innings for the Roger Williams University Baseball team while the offense pieced together a three-run seventh to edge UMass-Boston, 5-2 in a pitcher's duel at Monan Park on Monday night. All five of the team's five runs came with two outs with Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.) providing a two-run single that proved to be the deciding blow.

With the win the RWU sweeps the home-and-home season series with the Beacons to improve to 25-3-1 and they have been nearly unbeatable in nonconference play, standing at 15-1. UMB meanwhile, moves to 21-9 on the year.

Schaefer earned a spot start for the Hawks to open maybe their most important week of the season and he was impressive allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out seven. He did make one mistake allowing a home run but was still good enough to improve to 3-0. Adam Harz (Manchester, Conn.) entered with the two down in the eighth, got out of that jam and then fanned a trio in the ninth to secure his third save.

It was a staff day for the hosts as Jackson Snider (Durham, N.C.) got the start and allowed a single unearned run over four innings before turning it over to the bullpen. DJ Lopes (North Dartmouth, Mass.) wound up on the hook after allowing three runs on three hits and two walks across 0.2 innings in the seventh to fall to 1-1.

Hawk Highlights

Tyler Cedeno: 2-for-5, SB, 3 RS

Brandon Jenkins: 1-for-4, BB, 2 RBI

Tommy Hobin: 1-for-4, RBI, RS

Mike Masino: 1-for-3, 2B, BB, RS

Kyle Schaefer: (W/L, #-#), 7.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

Adam Harz: (SV, 3), 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

For The Opponents

Gianni Zarrilli Jr.:1-for-4, HR, RBI, RS

Thomas Cue: 1-for-2, 3B, RBI

Aidan Blake: 1-for-4, 2B, RS

Craig Corliss: 1-for-4

Jackson Snider: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

DJ Lopes: (L, 1-1), 0.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

How It Happened

The first six innings breezed along under the lights of Moran Park as Kyle Schaefer (Madison, Conn.) and Jackson Snider (Durham, N.C.) plus two UMass-Boston relievers pitched to a 1-1 score. The lone Roger Williams run to that point came in the first when Tyler Cedeno (Maynard, Mass.) reached on an error and would later cross the plate on a Matt Kroll (Tewksbury, N.J.) single. Meanwhile, the only blemish on Schaefer's ledger came in the fifth when Gianni Zarrilli Jr. (South Glastonbury, Conn.) clubbed his sixth home run of the season to left field.

The Hawks would secure the advantage with some two-out magic in the seventh. Mike Masino (Bayville, N.J.) drew a walk and advanced to second on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt. Tommy Hobin (Madison, Conn.) singled back through the box to score the run before Cedeno singled to the opposite field and Matt Massaro (Fairfield, Conn.) drew ball four to set up Brandon Jenkins (East Bridgewater, Mass.) with the bases juiced. He came through knocking a single into right to plate a pair and following a pitching change, another walk reloaded the bases. London Camelo (Bristol, R.I.) came on as a pinch hitter and he would strikeout to end the frame, but the visitors had a 4-1 advantage.

The Beacons finally put together a threat against Schaefer in the eighth as they drew a walk and hit a single to finally chase the RWU starter with two outs and Adam Harz (Manchester, Conn.) entered with the tying run at the plate in the form of Drew Metzdorf (Burlington, Mass.). He barreled one but it found a glove as Massaro fielded the sharp grounder and trotted to third to complete the fielder's choice and end the threat.

Roger Williams pieced together an insurance run by loading the bases with a single, a hit batsman, and an intentional walk for Camelo again. He would get some redemption by working a terrific at-bat to draw a free pass on eight pitches forcing in a run.

Things got interesting in the bottom of the inning as Aidan Blake (Lakeville, Mass.) ripped a double down the line and Thomas Cue (Shrewsbury, Mass.) followed by hitting a triple high off the leftfield wall to open the inning. Harz would settle down from there though, picking up a trio of Ks, the first of which set the program record for team strikeouts in a season to secure the Hawks victory, 5-2.

Coach's Corner

Kyle Schaefer pitched great! To be honest he shoved, and it was fun to watch. He pitched backwards and everything he threw was a strike. We knew they were an aggressive hitting team and wanted to swing early in the count, so we just attacked them. It was an impressive outing by him against a very good hitting team.

Offensively we had great at-bats throughout the game! We are a very relentless team, and we do not give at bats away. We did leave some runners on but all in all very happy with how we were offensively especially with two outs.

The bottom line is today was about Schaefer! He pitched great! And it was fun to watch.

What's Next

Roger Williams makes the short trip down to Newport for a crucial showdown with Salve Regina University. The game got pushed back 24 hours due to incoming rain on Tuesday and so now the contest will be played at 3:00 PM on Wednesday afternoon.