March 17, 2007
Box Score
BERKELEY, Calif. - Senior Dave Savard (Nashua, N.H.) went 3-for-4 with a two RBI and two runs scored as the Rhode Island baseball team edged California, 8-7, on Saturday, March 17 at Evans Diamond in Berkeley, Calif. Redshirt senior Adam Perkins (Hudson N.H.) earned the win in 6.1 innings on the mound while junior Jamie Degidio (Narragansett, R.I.) picked up the save. Freshman Oliver Palmer (North Kingstown, R.I.) also recorded three hits and scored twice in the URI victory.
Rhody (2-10) got on the board early with two runs in the top of the first inning. Savard sent a one-out single to center field and advanced to third on classmate Scott Brown's (Portland, Maine) single to right. Senior Gregg Allen (Dighton, Mass.) followed with a double to center that scored both Savard and Brown and gave URI an early 2-0 lead.
Cal (11-12) put together back-to-back three-hit innings in the third and fourth for a 4-2 advantage heading into the top of the fifth before Rhody reclaimed the lead, plating five runs on three hits.
Palmer got things started with a single through the left side and advanced to second when junior Shaun Hagey (Ephrata, Pa.) drew a walk. After a Cal pitching change Savard doubled down the left field line to score Hagey and Palmer. Brown followed with an RBI single to left center and moved to second on a Cunningham walk.
Cunningham and Brown then advanced on Allen's ground-out to third before Brown scored to give URI a 6-4 lead on junior Zach Zaneski's (Waterford, Conn.) ground out to short. Cunningham reached home on a passed ball during sophomore Dan Rhault's (Lincoln, R.I.) at bat, scoring Rhode Island's fifth run of the inning.
Cal got one back in the bottom of the fifth, but URI stretched its lead to 8-5 as Palmer was plated on a sacrifice fly by Cunningham in the top of the sixth.
The Bears went on to score once in the sixth and again in the seventh, cutting the Rams' lead to 8-7 with two innings to go. Rhode Island was able to hold on for the win though, as Degidio struck out six and allowed no hits in 2.2 innings of relief.
The Rams, who posted their first victory since recording a 6-4 win at Florida International on Feb. 24, will meet the Bears again tomorrow afternoon, March 18, at 4:00 p.m. (ET).
