KINGSTON, R.I. – The Saint Joseph's baseball team fell to Rhode Island, 11-5, in the completion of Friday's suspended game at Bill Beck Field on Saturday afternoon. In Saturday's regularly scheduled game, the Rams rode a complete game from Tyler Wilson to a 2-1 victory over the Hawks.
Upon the resumption of play, Saint Joseph's (10-16 overall, 3-4 Atlantic 10) trailed 8-2 but had runners at first and second with one out in the top of the sixth. Cal Jadacki stepped in and singled off of new pitcher Brendan Doonan to load the bases. Two batters later, Dominic Cuoci reached on an error that allowed John Brue and Stefan Kancylarz to score and cut the deficit to 8-4. Taylor Boyd followed and reached on an error as well that scored Jadacki and made it a three-run game.
Unfortunately for the Crimson and Gray, Rhode Island (12-12-1 overall, 5-3 Atlantic 10) got one back in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Chris Hess and added two in the eighth on consecutive doubles by Mike Corin and Hess to set the final margin.
Tim Ponto started the game on Friday and took the loss to fall to 1-5. Steve Moyers got the win for the Rams, improving to 1-4.
In Saturday's game, the Hawks took the lead once again, but URI scored one in the fifth and one in the sixth and hung on for a 2-1 win.
Peter Sitaras led off the third with a bunt single and moved to third on consecutive groundouts by Matt Maul and Boyd. Brue followed with a double to score Sitaras and give SJU a 1-0 lead.
Sitaras and Boyd drew walks in the top of the fifth and advanced to second and third on a wild pitch with two outs, but Wilson retired Brue on a line drive to center to end the threat.
Rhode Island equalized in the bottom of the fifth, as Martin Taveras led off with a double and came in to score on a two-out single by Chase Livingston.
The Rams took the lead in the sixth. Ryan Olmo was hit by a pitch with one out, and Corin followed with a single. After a groundout by Hess put runners on second and third, Pat Vanderslice issued an intentional walk to Taveras to load the bases. Justin Aungst came on in relief, but Mike Sherburne drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home Olmo with what turned out to be the game's final run.
Wilson scattered six hits and walked three to go with six strikeouts to improve to 4-0 on the season. Vanderslice was a tough-luck loser, allowing two runs on five hits in five and two-thirds to fall to 3-4.
The Hawks will look to salvage the series finale on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
