April 3, 2007

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KINGSTON, R.I. - Senior Dave Savard (Nashua, N.H.) cracked a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead the Rhode Island baseball team to an 8-6 victory over Central Connecticut in the Rams' home-opener on a chilly Tuesday afternoon at Bill Beck Field in Kingston, R.I. The Rhody centerfielder ended the day with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, three runs scored and four put-outs. Freshman Dan Rossignol (Nashua, N.H.) threw five innings for URI, giving up just one hit while redshirt junior Matt Miranda (Suffern, N.Y.) earned his first collegiate win and junior Jamie Degidio (Narragansett, R.I.) picked up his second save of the season.

Freshman starter Eric Smith (Milford, Conn.) was roughed up in the first inning as Central Connecticut jumped out to an early 4-0 lead on a three-run round-tripper by Adam Taha and a solo shot by John Romano.

The Rams got one back in the bottom of the first when senior Shaun Hagey (Ephrata, Pa.) scored on classmate Ryan Cunningham's (Centreville, Va.) sac-fly to centerfield.

With no outs and runners on second and third on in the top of the second inning, Rossignol took the mound and gave up his only hit of the game when Richie Tri sent a two-run single to centerfield. After Tri's hit, Rossignol went through 10 batters before another Blue Devil reached base.

Rhody went on to cut the CCSU lead in half with a run in the third inning and another in the fifth, bringing the score to 6-3.

The Rams loaded the bases to start the seventh as Savard drew a lead-off walk before junior Zach Zaneski (Waterford, Conn.) was hit by a pitch and Cunningham was walked. After a Blue Devils pitching change (John Tessyman for Taylor Kosakowski) senior Gregg Allen sent a two-run double to right on Tessyman's first pitch, scoring both Savard and Zaneski. Cunningham then tied things up on senior Eric Larson's (Bradenton, Fla.) sacrifice fly to right.

With one out and one on in the eighth, Miranda came in to replace freshman Mark Fraser (Nashua, N.H.) and ended the inning before the Blue Devils could do any damage.

Freshman Oliver Palmer (North Kingston, R.I.) kept the Rams rolling with a lead-off single in the bottom of the inning before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Dan Rhault (Lincoln, R.I.). The URI second baseman took then third on Hagey's ground out and scored what proved to be the winning run on Savard's first homer of the season.

Degidio sealed the victory for the Rams with a 1-2-3 ninth inning as Rhody improved to 6-16 with its fourth-straight win.

Rhode Island returns to action tomorrow afternoon when Brown (7-13) comes to Kingston for a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader.