April 21, 2005

Box Score

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - Sophomore James Norcott (Norton, Mass.) pitched a four-hit shutout as the University of Rhode Island baseball team defeated Central Connecticut State 7-0 to sweep a doubleheader Thursday.

Norcott went all seven innings, allowing just four hits and striking out four in improving to 2-3 on the season. Sophomore Adam Perkins (Hudson, N.H.) earned the win in the first game of the doubleheader, going six innings, allowing five hits and two runs.

"It was nice to get continued quality starting pitching from Adam Perkins and Jim Norcott," Rhode Island head coach Frank Leoni said. "It starts with the starting pitcher, they set the tone and we went from there."

Senior Matt Sullivan (Nashua, N.H.) went 3-for-4 and junior Josh Nestor (Nashua, N.H.) was 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Freshman Shuan Hagey (Ephrata, Pa.) also had two hits and drove in two runs.

The Rams put up five runs in the first inning and that would be all Norcott would need in helping Rhody to its ninth win in the last 10 games.

"We had some timely hitting that helped us put together a couple of big innings," Leoni said. "We got the hits when we needed them."

Sophomore Dave Savard (Nashua, N.H.) opened the game with a walk and Sullivan reached on a bunt single. On a botched pickoff play, Savard scored from second for the game's first run and Sullivan advanced to third. Sophomores Ryan Cunningham (Centreville, Va.) and Scott Brown (Portland, Maine) drew back-to-back walks to load the bases and Nestor came through with a two-run single to give the Rams a 3-0 lead. Senior Mike Rainville (Pawtucket, R.I.) and senior Joe Viscuso (Farmingdale, N.Y.) followed with a pair of RBI-singles to give Rhody a 5-0 advantage after one inning.

The Rams made it 7-0 with two more runs in the fifth inning, both coming on a two-out double by Hagey. Nestor and Viscuso had each drawn walks in the inning.

Rhode Island improves to 17-15 overall and will host St. Bonaventure in a rematch of the 2004 Atlantic 10 finals beginning with a doubleheader Saturday at noon at Bill Beck Field.

"It was nice to beat Central Connecticut, we haven't beaten them in a few years," Leoni said. "This was a very nice way to get on a roll going into the weekend. We played very solidly and got the job done.