Hawks counter Seahawk rally with three runs in eighth

BRISTOL, R.I. (May 10, 2019) -- Salve Regina University baseball rallied from a 3-0 deficit and took a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh, but host Roger Williams University scored three times (two unearned) in the bottom of the eighth to take a 6-4 decision in Game One of a best-of-three series for the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) championship at Paolino Field.

The Hawks (21-17-1) scored twice off starter Will Ginsberg (Sharon, Mass.) in the bottom of the first on successive two-out singles by Eli Camner, Danny Roth, Anthony Dominguez, and Tommy Hobin. Hobin doubled down the right field line in the bottom of the third to score Dominguez with the third Hawk run. Ginsberg did not retire a single Hawk batter in that frame as three different baserunners were erased.

Connor Hewlette did not allow a hit to the Seahawks until Sean O'Malley (Darien, Conn.) blooped a single in the top of the fourth. Zack Smith (New Canaan, Conn.), who had reached base ahead of O'Malley on a hit-by-pitch, scored the first run for Salve Regina on a single by Anthony Cieszko (Woodcliff Lake, N.J.).

In the top of the seventh, Zach Barlok (Cheshire, Conn.) led off with a double and advanced to third when Dustin Siqueira's (Trumbull, Conn.) single got through on the left side. Madden Ward (Clinton, Conn.) drove in the run from third with a single to left field. O'Malley's two-out double to right field scored Siqueira from third and Smith from first to give Salve Regina (25-16) its first lead.

Trailing 4-3, Hobin and Bonavita had back-to-back singles leading off the bottom of the eighth for Roger Williams. Tyler Brett laid down a sacrifice bunt and reached on a fielder's choice when the throw to third was mishandled. After reliever Brett Wilkes (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) got Joey Gulino to strike out looking, Justin Stone picked the perfect time to have his only hit of the day - a two-run double to right field. A sacrifice fly by Chris Bosco brought in an insurance run for closer Craig Demers who got the save in the top of the ninth allowing just a basehit to Ward.

The teams will play Game Two at Paolino Field tomorrow (11:30 a.m.) and a third game shortly thereafter if Salve Regina wins and forces the deciding contest.