Box Score WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (May 8, 2025) – The fourth-seeded Western New England baseball team was defeated on Thursday afternoon by the sixth-seeded Hawks of Roger Williams University in an elimination game in the Conference of New England Tournament, ending the 2024-2025 season for the Golden Bears.
Records:
- No. 4 Western New England: 22-20
- No. 6 Roger Williams University: 15-22
How it Happened:
Greg Nivison would make the start on the hill for the Golden Bears, looking to keep WNE alive in the CNE Tournament on day two, a day in which Western New England has had historic success overall. Nivison would get into some trouble quickly in the top of the first inning but would get RWU's Nick Sheehan to ground out to end the inning, leaving to Hawks on the base paths. In the bottom of the first inning,
John Bova would smoke a one-out double to right field for Western New England's first hit of the game, but the Golden Bears would not be able to score or move Bova over. Nivison would have no problem getting the Hawks in order of the top of the second and top of the third while Lucas Lariviere, RWU's ace, would also stay dialed in and get the Golden Bears down easily through the third inning.
Roger Williams would open the top of the fourth inning with a double to right center from Owen Hibbard, which started an inning that saw the Hawks come up with four runs on three hits to take a lead over the Golden Bears. Dennis Floan notched an RBI on a ground out, Evan Keeney a ground-rule double and an RBI, and Griffin Ruffner a single through the left side of the diamond to give RWU a 4-0 lead. Nivison would last just 3.2 innings in the game and would be charged with all four runs. The bats for Western New England wouldn't come alive until the bottom of the sixth inning when one swing would tie the game.
Antonio Galizia would lead off the sixth with a single and
Jack Gamache would follow as the Golden Bears began to get to Lariviere.
Ryan Montini's ground ball would be too tough to handle at first base, loading the bases with no outs for the Golden Bears. With one swing of the bat, the next batter,
John Bova, would lift a deep fly ball into left field and would tie the game at four. The game stayed tied for not even a half inning as the Hawks took their lead back in the top of the seventh when Nick Sheehan produced a sacrifice fly that scored Jack Tubman, who picked up a double with one out in the inning. Sheehan's RBI off
Tyler Curtis would give Roger Williams a 5-4 lead. The Golden Bears wouldn't be able to match the run in the bottom of the seventh inning, down to their final six outs of the game before a possible elimination from the CNE Tournament.
Troy Donohue would pitch a clean top of the eighth inning, giving up just a pair of walks. The Golden Bears brought the top of their order to the bottom of the eighth inning, looking to even the score.
Ryan Montini began the bottom of the eighth inning with a ground ball that was muffed by the Roger Williams first baseman to quickly get on base.
John Bova would smoke his third hit of the game, an infield single this time, putting runners on first and second with no outs.
Jack Loftus would take his four pitches to load the bases, which would pull Lariviere from the game after a valiant effort. Ryan Camp would get a ground ball that would turn two, but a run would score for the Golden Bears to tie the game. WNE would not be able to put any more runs on the board from there, a missed opportunity, but would tie the game at five. In the ninth, neither team would convert on their chance, with both teams putting a runner on base, but the game would need extra innings. In the top of the tenth, RWU would lead off with their second ground rule double of the afternoon and would come around to score on an error by the WNE first baseman on a ground ball, putting the Hawks ahead 6-5. Nolan Hester would then rope a single up the middle to score two more Hawks, giving RWU an 8-5 lead, grabbing three runs on three hits in the inning while Western New England's defense would fail them, committing two errors. With three outs to tie or win the game, WNE would start out the bottom of the frame with a walk to Montini and Loftus with one out.
Corey Kilroy would then single in the infield to load the bases.
Leo Paragarino notched a run-scoring out, but that would be all WNE would get in the frame as they saw their season come to an end with an 8-6 result in favor of Roger Williams.
Inside the Lines:
- WNE wraps up their season with a 22-20 overall record.
- John Bova left his mark on the program, nabbing three hits and four RBIs in the game.
- The Golden Bears only picked up six hits in the game, half from Bova.
- Seven pitchers were used by WNE in the game. Starter Greg Nivison lasted 3.2 innings giving up three hits and four runs while walking two and striking out three.
- RWU wins the season series over the Golden Bears 2-1 in three dramatic contests.
