April 5, 2008

Box Score

KINGSTON, R.I. - Freshman Pete Mastors (Narragansett, R.I.) went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI as the Rhode Island baseball team posted a 7-5 comeback victory over Duquesne, Saturday afternoon in the first game of a doubleheader at Bill Beck Field. Senior starter Brett Palanski (Nasuha, N.H.) earned the win, improving to 3-2 on the season, while senior Jamie Degidio (Narragansett, R.I.) closed out the game to earn his fourth save this year.

Palanski got off to a shaky start, giving up five hits - including a three-run homer - and four runs in the first inning while Rhody only reached base twice in its first two at-bats.

After a 1-2-3 top of the third, Mastors drew a one-out walk and advanced to second when senior Mike O'Malley (Nashua, N.H.) was hit by a pitch. Senior Zach Zaneski (Waterford, Conn.) followed with an RBI double that scored Mastors and moved O'Malley to third, before back-to-back walks by senior Shaun Hagey (Ephrata, Pa.) and sophomore Rob Deveney (Marlton, N.J.) sent O'Malley home to cut the Dukes' lead in half, 4-2.

Duquesne tacked on another run in the top of the sixth before the Rams took over the lead in the bottom of the inning. Deveney got things started with a lead-off single down the left field line and moved to second on freshman Evan Laude's (Long Beach, N.Y.) single up the middle. Junior Dan Rhault (Lincoln, R.I.) then reached on a fielder's choice and both runners advanced on a throwing error by Duquesne pitcher Ryan Juran. Back-to-back infield singles by Angulo and Mastors got Rhody within one before Angulo scored on a passed ball to tie things up at 5-5. Mastors then scored the go-ahead run on a sac-fly by O'Malley.

URI plated one more in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by Rhault to take the 7-5 win.

The two teams will be back in action for the day's second game, beginning at 4:15.