Quinnipiac University
Rhode Island
Donaghue and Guglietti Each Homer as QU Baseball Defeats Rhode Island 7-5 in 5 Innings
4/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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HAMDEN, Conn. – Second baseman Scott Donaghue (Marlboro, New Jersey) and First Baseman Vincent Guglietti (East Haven, Connecticut) each hit home runs for the QU Baseball team in their home opener Tuesday afternoon as the Bobcats defeated the Rhode Island Rams, 7-5, in a five inning, rain shortened game at the QU Baseball Field.
Quinnipiac reaches the 10 win mark with the victory over Rhode Island as the Bobcats improve to 10-16 (6-3 MAAC) on the season while the Rams fall to 9-12-1 (3-3 A-10) with the loss.
The Bobcats exploded for six runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a commanding 6-1 lead, capped off by Donaghue's two-run home run, and they never looked back. The six-run second inning is the most runs scored in an inning since the Bobcats scored seven in the first inning against the Yale Bulldogs on March 25.
Julius Saporito (Manalapan, New Jersey) was a perfect 2 for 2 at the plate for the Bobcats with a three-RBI double and a run scored as the only Bobcat with multiple hits. Guglietti was 1 for 1 at the plate with his team-leading third home run of the season and a hit by pitch, and Donaghue was 1 for 3 at the plate with his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to lead the Bobcats.
Joseph Scaglione (Wyckoff, New Jersey) picked up his first win of the season with a 4 2/3 inning effort for the Bobcats where he struck out six batters. Scaglione (1-4) was relieved by Matthew Lorenzetti (Marlboro, New Jersey) with two outs in the top of the 5th inning to pick up the one-out save with a strikeout of the only batter he faced.
Rhode Island took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Tim Caputo led off the inning with a single and advanced to second base on a passed ball after two strikeouts by Scaglione on the hill. Caputo came home to score on Mike Corin's RBI single through the left side of the infield.
The Bobcats struck quickly in the bottom of the second inning as Guglietti led off with a hit by pitch but was erased on a double play. With two outs in the inning, the Bobcats went to work. John Bodenhamer (Maple Valley, Washington) singled up the middle before moving up to second base on a walk by Matthew Oestreicher (North Haven, Connecticut). Ben Gibson (Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts) loaded up the bases with a single for Saporito, who hit an opposite field, three-RBI double to clear the bases and give Quinnipiac a 3-1 lead. Mike Palladino (Rockville Centre, New York) brought him home on the next at-bat with an RBI single to right field. After Palladino moved up to second on a wild pitch, Donaghue rocked a home run over the left field fence to cap off the six-run inning.
Guglietti continued the offensive attack in the bottom of the third, as he welcomed Rhode Island reliever Dom Grillo to the game with an opposite field home run over the left field wall to make it 7-1 Quinnipiac.
Rhode Island attempted a comeback in the top of the fifth inning but it fell short just before the game was called after the Rams half inning. Derek Gardella led off with a double and Corin walked to put runners on first and third as Gardella advanced on a wild pitch. Ryan Olmo brought home Gardella with a sacrifice fly before Martin Taveras scored Olmo and Corin with a two-run double, but the Rams could only get within 7-5.
The Bobcats return to action on Wednesday, Apr. 8 with another non-conference matchup with the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils at the QU Baseball Field with the first pitch scheduled for 3 P.M.
