March 26, 2008

Box Score

KINGSTON, R.I. - Rhode Island freshman Chris Pickering (Lincoln, R.I.) pitched eight-plus scoreless innings as the Rhode Island baseball team edged Marist, 1-0, Wednesday afternoon at Bill Beck Field. The Rhody rookie appeared to be on his way to hurling a perfect game until Marist's Brian McDonough singled to right in the top of the ninth to ruin the no-hitter.

Pickering finished with nine strikeouts and just one hit before sophomore Tim Boyce (Swansea, Mass.) came in to close out the game with McDonough on first and no outs. Marist's Kenny Anderson laid down a sacrifice bunt - to move McDonough into scoring position - and was out on freshman catcher Robert Noe's (Lynnfield, Mass.) throw down to first. However, after advancing safely to second, McDonough tried to take third as well and was gunned down by Rhody's senior first baseman Zach Zaneski (Waterford, Conn.). Boyce's next batter grounded out to senior short stop Mike O'Malley (Nashua, N.H.) to earn the Rams their first home victory this season.

URI scored the game's lone run in the bottom of the fourth when Zaneski extended his hitting streak to ten games with a one-out double to left field before crossing the plate on a base hit to right by sophomore Oliver Palmer (North Kingstown, R.I.). Palmer finished with two hits on the afternoon, recording his team-leading tenth multiple hit outing.

The Rams return to action at Dayton, where they will face the Flyers in three league games this weekend. The two teams will meet on Friday at 3 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at noon.