April 8, 2008

Box Score

KINGSTON, R.I. - Junior Dan Rhault (Lincoln, R.I.) went 2-for-3 with a homerun, a double and three RBI but it was Boston College sneaking past Rhode Island with a 7-6 win, Tuesday afternoon at Bill Beck Field. The loss drops URI to 11-18 while BC improves to 17-14.

Rhody raced out to a five-run lead in the first inning as freshman Pete Mastors (Narragansett, R.I.), sophomore Oliver Palmer (North Kingstown, R.I.) and senior Zach Zaneski (Waterford, Conn.) all reached safely to load the bases for senior Mike O'Malley (Nashua, N.H.). O'Malley then put the Rams up, 2-0, with a two-out two-run single to right field before freshman Tom Coulombe (Lincoln, R.I.) singled up the middle to score Zaneski. Rhault followed with a two-run double that sent O'Malley and Coulombe home, giving URI the early 5-0 advantage.

Boston College (17-14) used Garret Smith's run-scoring single and Sam Shaughnessy's RBI double to cut URI's lead to three (5-2) in the top of the fourth, but Rhault responded with a solo shot over the left-center fence for put the Rams back on top, 6-2.

However, the Eagles got a run back on Michael Belfiore's fifth-inning double and Tony Sanchez went on to smash a three-run homer that evened the score at 6-6. In his next at-bat, Sanchez doubled down the left field line to score Harry Darling and put BC up, 7-6.

The Rhody pitching staff faced the minimum nine batters - and struck out six - over the final three innings, but the Rams were unable to produce at the plate, ending the game in a 7-6 defeat.

Reliever Mark Fraser (Nashua, N.H.) was charged with the loss while BC's Ted Ratliffe picked up the win. Belfiore - who moved to the mound from first base in the ninth inning - closed out the game to earn the save.

The Rams are back in action tomorrow afternoon, when they travel to Connecticut for a 3 p.m. game against the Huskies.