April 14, 2007

Game 1 Box Score |  Game 2 Box Score |  Photo Gallery 

Game One

KINGSTON, R.I. - Senior Eric Larson (Bradenton, Fla.) went 2-for-3 with a run scored as the Rhode Island baseball team fell to No. 25 Charlotte, 5-2, in the first game of a doubleheader at Bill Beck Field in Kingston, R.I. Classmate Ryan Cunningham (Centreville, Va.) recorded the Rams' only other hit of the game with a two-run double in the first inning.

Charlotte took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as O'Brien Taylor doubled to center, scoring Shayne Moody and Brad McElroy. Rhody tied things up in the bottom of the inning when Cunningham's team-leading 13th double plated Larson and junior Zach Zaneski (Waterford, Conn.).

The 49ers reclaimed the lead in the top of the third when Kris Rochelle scored on a pitch that got past Zaneski.

Junior Brett Palanski (Nashua, N.H.) threw six innings for the Rams, giving up four hits and as many runs with six strikeouts. Redshirt freshman Tim Boyce (Swansea, Mass.) took the mound in the top of the seventh with no outs and one runner on. Boyce loaded the bases with a walk and a single to left before recording the force out at home when Alex Burt grounded back to the mound. Spencer Steedley then doubled to score Taylor and McElroy, the game's final two runs.

Boyce finished with three strikeouts and one run on two hits while Charlotte's Steedley pitched a complete-game three-hitter with six K's and one earned run.

Game Two

KINGSTON, R.I. - Senior James Norcott (Norton, Mass.) pitched eight innings and gave up just five hits and two runs with five strikeouts as the Rams were defeated, 4-2, by 25th-ranked Charlotte in the second game of a doubleheader at Bill Beck Field in Kingston, R.I. Rhody tallied both of its runs in the bottom of the ninth.

After four scoreless innings, Charlotte got on the board in the top of the fifth when Alex Burt led off with a single to right field. Chris Lane moved Burt to second with a sacrifice bunt and Burt took third on Alex Bryant's sac bunt back to the mound. Burt then scored on Corey Lane's double to left.

The Niners got three more runs in the top of the ninth with a two-run double by Chris Taylor and an RBI ground out by Burt.

Junior Shaun Hagey (Ephrata, Pa.) led off with a single through the left side in the bottom of the ninth and took second when senior Dan Tucker (Warwick, R.I.) was hit by a pitch. Rhody pinch ran freshman Fernando Robles (Middleburg, Fla.) for Tucker and both Robles and Hagey advanced a base when senior Ryan Cunningham (Centerville, Va.) singled to load the bases. Matt Foard then hit Zaneski which moved the runners around and scored Hagey. Senior Eric Larson (Bradenton, Fla.) followed with a single to left to score Robles before senior Scott Brown (Portland, Maine) grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

With the loss, Rhode Island falls to 8-22 (5-7 A-10) while Charlotte improves to 29-6 (11-1 A-10).

The Rams are back in action on Tuesday afternoon, April 17, when they host Quinnipiac at 3:00 p.m.