Saint Joseph's University

TYSONS, Va. – The top-seeded Saint Joseph's baseball team fell to fifth-seeded Rhode Island, 17-9, in the Hawks' first game at the 2026 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship at Capital One Park on Thursday.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Saint Joseph's (35-19) got on the board right away as Joey Gale was hit by a pitch to lead off the game and Alex Kelsey drove him in with a double off the left field wall.
 
• The Rams tied the game in the top of the third on a double by Ryan Thompson and took the lead on a home run by Ryan King and a single by Aidan Botti in the fourth.
 
• Rhode Island (25-29) extended the lead to 6-1 in the fifth via a Jack Hopko double and King's second home run of the game.
 
• T.J. Gormley hit a two-run single in the sixth before a double by Reece Moroney and a groundout by Hopko made it 10-1.
 
• The Hawks put together a rally in the bottom of the seventh.  Tim Dickinson started the inning with a walk before Alex Venezia and Carson Applegate were each hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Gale followed with an RBI single up the middle before Kelsey hit a sacrifice fly to make it 10-3.
 
• After a pitching change, Blake Primrose walked to load the bases for Richard Beggy, whose RBI groundout scored another run and led to another relief pitcher for the Rams.  Joey Pagano laced a two-run single before Jason Janesko and Dickinson added singles to load the bases.  A wild pitch then moved the runners up and scored Pagano to make it 10-7.
 
• Unfortunately for the Crimson and Gray, URI plated seven in the ninth to push the game out of reach.  The Hawks scored a pair of runs on a double by Dickinson to set the final margin.
 
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Jake Cullen allowed five runs on four hits, two walks, and four hit batsmen in six and a third innings to earn the win for Rhode Island, while Duke McCaron was charged with six runs on 10 hits in five innings to take the loss.  Tommy Turner worked two and two-thirds innings for the save.
 
• Gale, Pagano, Janesko, and Dickinson all recorded two hits for the Hawks; Pagano also walked twice to reach base four times in the game.  Kelsey, Pagano, and Dickinson all drove in two apiece, while Gale and Pagano each scored twice.
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks will play an elimination game on Friday which is currently scheduled for 3:00 p.m.  Their opponent will be either Richmond, VCU, or George Mason, depending on results from later on Thursday.