NINE RUN EIGHTH LEADS RIC PAST
UMASS DARTMOUTH, 15-8

Providence, RI—Rhode Island College scored nine runs in the eighth inning to overcome an 8-6 deficit en route to a 15-8 win over UMass Dartmouth in Little East Conference baseball action on Friday afternoon at Anchorman Field.

Seniors (front row) Bryan Colombero, Jeff Costa, Jordan Amorin,
Eric Fama, (back row) Josh Cardoso, B.J. Doyon, Bobby Fournier and
Garrett Grenier were honored, along with their families, prior to the start
of the game as part of Senior Day 2009.

RIC sweeps the season series from the Corsairs, raising its overall record to 23-10 and evening its league mark at 6-6 heading into tomorrow’s LEC finale at Southern Maine. UMD falls to 7-23 overall and 3-7 in the conference. The hosts have won their last seven games and last four LEC contests.

The Anchormen took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning as senior third baseman Jeff Costa (Pawtucket, RI) singled and came home on junior right fielder Jared Rossi’s (Johnston, RI) RBI knock.

The Corsairs plated four in the third, led by junior center fielder Jeff Macchi’s (Franklin, MA) two-run double and RBI singles from senior first baseman Casey Askeland (Dartmouth, MA) and freshman second baseman Dan DeMello (Taunton, MA).

RIC answered back with a single run in the home half of the frame as sophomore designated hitter Gary Levesque (East Providence, RI) doubled and scored on junior first baseman Tim Schabowski’s (Pascoag, RI) RBI single.

The visitors scored twice in the fourth on RIC errors to build a 6-2 advantage. A senior left fielder Bryan Colombero (Skillman, NJ) sacrifice fly brought the Anchormen within three, 6-3, in the fifth. RIC tied the game, 6-6, in the sixth on a Schabowski three-run homer (3).

The Corsairs took their last lead of the game in the seventh with two runs as Askeland and sophomore designated hitter Zac Talis (Lynnfield, MA) contributed RBI doubles.

UMD sophomore starter Brian Pedrotti (Dalton, MA) walked Rossi to start the eighth and was lifted for freshman reliever Pat Lavey (Cranston, RI). The Anchormen ended up sending 14 men to the plate as RIC scored nine times to surge past their LEC rivals. Senior catcher Jordan Amorin (Swansea, MA) smacked a bases clearing double and sophomore pinch hitter Mike Giustino (Wappingers Falls, NY) plated two more with a double of his own in the frame.

RIC used four pitchers, with junior Eric Gelsomino (Johnston, RI) picking up the win (2-0). Lavey took the loss (0-2).

Schabowski, Levesque and Costa each had three hits on the day. Askeland went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and two RBI for UMD.

SENIOR DAY PHOTOS