TYSONS, Va. – Fourth-seeded Davidson put on a hitting clinic, collecting 17 hits en route to an 18-3 win over No. 5 Saint Joseph’s Tuesday in the Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship First round at Capital One Park.

The Wildcats (26-27) advance to face top-seeded Rhode Island Wednesday at 11:00 am. The Hawks fall into the consolation bracket and will play again Wednesday against a to-be-determined opponent.

Davidson bats got hot in the second inning and the ‘Cats proceeded to score in six of the final seven innings, including eight runs in the eighth.
Eli Putnam and Michael O’Shaughnessy each had three hits to lead Davidson, while O’Shaughnessy and JD Woodall had four RBI apiece. Putnam added another three.

Saint Joseph’s (24-27) stated the scoring with a run in the top of the second on a bases-loaded walk by Joey Gale that pushed Tim Dickinson home. But Davidson responded immediately, when a Woodall double turned into a three-run play when an errant throw caromed off of Woodall’s helmet and into right field, allowing the bases to clear and Woodall to score as well.

Blake Primrose had a third-inning single through the left side that scored Colin Myers, bringing the Hawks back within one. But O’Shaughnessy cranked a two-run homer down the left field line, and the Wildcats never looked back. O’Shaughnessy had the only round-tripper of the game, but the ‘Cats played small ball with five RBI singles, three RBI doubles and two runs walked in.

Matt Weber earned the win for Davidson, allowing one run on two hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 3.1 innings of relief. SJU starter Colton Book (6-3) took the loss for the Hawks, with five earned runs allowed on six hits with eight strikeouts and four walks.
Myers, Primrose and Owen Petrich all went 2-for-4 to lead the Hawks.