Providence, R.I.—Junior center fielder Cameron Santerre (Bristol, R.I.) went 4-for-9 with a home run as Rhode Island College took two games from the defending NCAA Div. III National Champions No. 8-ranked nationally Eastern Connecticut, 7-6; 6-5, in Little East baseball action played at Pontarelli Field on Saturday afternoon.
 
THE BASICS
• With the wins, the Anchormen move into first place in the Little East with a 9-1 record and six league games remaining.
 
Rhode Island College 7, 6; No. 8 Eastern Connecticut 6, 5
Rhode Island College (22-11, 9-1 LEC)
Eastern Connecticut (25-7, 9-3 LEC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME ONE
• Eastern got on the board first after a two-run homer by sophomore center fielder Ray Leonzi (Trumbull, Conn.) to go up, 2-0, in the top of the third.
 
• The Anchormen came through in the bottom of the inning when Santerre doubled in a run and a few Warrior mistakes added another two runs for hosts.
 
• The Warriors plated a pair of runs in the fifth inning, then RIC junior shortstop Izaiah Rivera (Pawtucket, R.I.) tied the game with a solo shot of his own in the bottom of the frame.
 
• RIC was down, 6-5, in the ninth inning after both teams were able to tack on some runs. Freshman first baseman Daniel Cascio (East Hampton, Conn.) came in as a pinch hitter and tied the contest with his first career homer.
 
• After a Santerre double with two outs in the ninth, sophomore first baseman Daniel Trzepacz (Mont Vernon, N.H.) singled over the shortstop's head to score Santerre and win the ballgame.
 
• Senior pitcher Shaun Gamelin (North Kingstown, R.I.) pitched seven strong innings in game one and graduate pitcher Brenden Aldridge (Pawtucket, R.I.) earned the win (1-1) in relief.
 
GAME TWO
• ECSU scored a run in the first and Santerre answered with a home run on the first pitch he saw to tie the game.
 
The game remained tied at one apiece until the fourth inning when junior designated hitter Cole Podedworny (Wakefield, R.I.) mashed a triple into the gap to give RIC a 2-1 lead. Senior left fielder Joey Coro (North Providence, R.I.) brought in Podedworny with a sacrifice fly to center field.
 
• Eastern Connecticut was able to chip away at the lead, but some late-game RIC runs proved to be the difference. In the ninth inning, the Warriors hit four straight two-out singles to score two runs. Senior pitcher Colin Gauthier (Pawtucket, R.I.) was summoned from the bullpen and got his fifth save of the year to complete the sweep.
 
• Santerre went 4-for-9 on the day with a homer, three runs scored, two RBI and a stolen base.
 
• Rivera went a combined 3-for-7 with a solo shot, two RBI and three runs scored.
 
• Junior pitcher Terry Murray (Norfolk, Mass.) went 8.2 innings in game two to pick up his sixth (6-1) win of the year.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will continue Little East play at UMass Dartmouth on Tuesday, April 25 (3:30 p.m.).