KINGSTON, R.I. – Early runs spelled doom for the Hawks on Sunday afternoon as the Saint Joseph's baseball team fell to Rhode Island, 6-3, in the series finale between the two teams at Bill Beck Field. Charlie Coghlin reached base four times on the day and ripped a pair of doubles.
Rhode Island (13-12-1 overall, 6-3 Atlantic 10) opened up a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-out triple by Mike Corin and a single by Chris Hess. The Rams tacked on another in the second on a sacrifice fly by Chase Livingston.
Saint Joseph's (10-17 overall, 3-5 Atlantic 10) got on the board in the top of the third, pushing a run across without a hit. URI starter Lou Distasio started the inning by hitting Coghlin with a pitch, and Peter Sitaras laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Coghlin to second. Two batters later, Taylor Boyd reached on an error that allowed Coghlin to score and cut the lead to 3-1.
The Rams answered in the bottom of the frame, however, as Corin added another RBI with a double down the third base line and Mike Sherburne singled to extend the lead to 5-1.
URI added another in the fifth on a two-out ground-rule double by Hess.
The Hawks posted singletons in both the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh, Cal Jadacki drew a one-out walk and Coghlin doubled him to third before Sitaras brought him home with a sacrifice fly. Boyd then led off the eighth with a single, went to third on a single by John Brue, and came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Stefan Kancylarz to cut the deficit to 6-3.
SJU brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth after Coghlin doubled and Marc Giacalone was hit by a pitch, but Brad Applin ended the threat to notch his first save of the season.
Applin saved the game for Distasio, who improved to 3-4 with six strong innings. He allowed one unearned run on one hit, walking one and striking out five. Joe Manion took the loss for SJU, allowing six runs on nine hits in four and a third innings.
The Hawks return home for a brief homestand, taking on Saint Peter's on Wednesday afternoon before VCU visits Smithson Field for an Atlantic 10 series beginning Friday.
