Baseball Falls to Roger Williams, 13-8

BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University baseball team held off visiting Bridgewater State University, 13-8, on Tuesday afternoon at chilly Paolino Field.

The Hawks, ranked fourth in the most recent New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) Division III Poll, improve to 13-1 on the season while the Bears fall to 8-6.

Junior righthander Dan Massaro (Fairfield, Conn.) tossed six solid innings to pick up the win on the mound for Roger Williams. Massaro (2-1) gave up just two runs (one earned) on three hits with no walks and ten strikeouts.

Sophomore catcher London Camelo (Bristol, R.I.) was a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate for the Hawks with a double, a stolen base, a run scored and five runs batted in.

Sophomore left fielder Joe Frechette (Plymouth, Mass.) paced the BSU offense as he went 3-for-5 with a stolen base, run and three RBI. Sophomore right fielder Jay Wladkowski (Norwood, Mass.) also recorded multiple hits for the Bears as he went 2-for-5 with a stolen base and three runs scored.

The Bears got on the board in the top of the first inning as Wladkowski singled with one out, stole second and came around to score on Frechette's two-out RBI base hit up the middle.

The Hawks capitalized on three BSU infielder errors to push across six runs in the bottom of the second as three of the six runs were unearned. Camelo connected for a two-run single in the frame.

Roger Williams tacked on three more runs in the third to make it a 9-1 game. Junior left fielder Christopher Flynn (Randolph, N.J.) tripled to lead off frame and raced home on a wild pitch, while graduate centerfielder Tyler Cedeno (Maynard, Mass.) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and junior third baseman Matt Massaro (Fairfield, Conn.) connected for an RBI double.

A sacrifice flies off the bat of sophomore shortstop Mike Masino (Bayville, N.J.) and an RBI double by Camelo extended the Hawk lead to 11-1.

The two teams exchanged runs in the sixth inning. Wladkowski reached on an error with two outs, advanced to second when junior first baseman Dan Saraceno (Mansfield, Mass.) was hit by a pitch and came around to score on Frechette's RBI single. Camelo provided the answer for the Hawks with an RBI single to put the Hawks on top, 12-2.

The Bears sent ten batters to the plate in a six-run eighth inning to make things interesting. Four of the runs in the frame were unearned as a result of a pair of RWU errors. Saraceno doubled home a run, while Frechette added another RBI single and junior third baseman Joey Molis (Cumberland, R.I.) cut the deficit to 12-8 with a two-run single.

Camelo knocked in his fifth run of the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to round out the scoring as the Hawks held on for the 13-8 victory.

Four Bridgewater State pitchers combined to give up 13 runs (ten earned) on 15 hits with five walks, two hit batsmen and four strikeouts.

The two teams combined for nine errors in the contest with the Bears committing five miscues.

Bridgewater State opens MASCAC play on Friday afternoon when the Bears entertain the Trailblazers of MCLA at three o'clock.