Feb. 22, 2009

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. - Junior Zoey Angulo (Miami, Fla.) went 3-for-5 as the Rhode Island baseball team was edged by Xavier, 6-5, in the final day of competition at NC State's Summit Hospitality Invitational. Senior Dan Rhault (Lincoln, R.I.) drove in three of Rhody's five runs on the afternoon.

Xavier took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a two-out, two-run double by Billy O'Connor but Rhody cut the Musketeers' lead in half the following inning when freshman Mike LeBel (Quincy, Mass.) led off with a single up the middle and eventually crossed the plate on a sac-fly by Rhault.

Rhody took over the lead in the top of the fifth when Angulo doubled down the left field line to score LeBel. Rhault then followed with a base hit to right center that plated both Angulo and sophomore Kenny Burns (Shelton, Conn.) and put Rhody on top, 4-2.

The Musketeers evened the score at 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh but junior Rob Deveney (Marlton, N.J.) homered in the top of the eighth to put the Rams back in front, 5-4.

Xavier, however, took advantage of a costly Rhode Island error in the top of the eighth and plated a pair of two-out runs to take the 6-5 victory.

Senior Luke Demko (Gilford, N.H.) - who had entered the game in the eighth inning to close things out for URI - was charged with the loss. Junior starter Eric Smith (Milford, Conn.) lasted five innings for URI, striking out three batters while allowing five hits and two runs. Jordan Conley took the win for Xavier.

The Rams are back in action next weekend when they travel to Florida for the Winter Haven Tournament. Rhody opens play with a pair of non-conference games against Duquesne on Feb. 28 and March 1.