March 1, 2009

Box Score

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Senior Dan Rhault (Lincoln, R.I.) and sophomore Tom Coulombe (Lincoln, R.I.) recorded three hits each as the Rhode Island baseball team took down Duquesne, 10-6, Saturday afternoon at Chain Lakes Stadium. Rhault and Coulombe also drove in two runs apiece as did junior Oliver Palmer (Narragansett, R.I.) and freshman Mike LeBel (Quincy, Mass.).

Redshirt junior Tim Boyce (Swansea, Mass.) earned the win for Rhode Island, striking out seven batters and allowing just four hits over six innings of work. Sophomore Gardner Leaver (Montauk, N.Y.) tossed the final two innings for the Rams and finished with no hits, no walks and three strikeouts.

The Dukes (0-4) took a one-run lead in the top of the first when Anthony Manley tripled to left center and then crossed the plate on an RBI single by Rick Devereaux but Rhody came back and plated four in the third to take over the lead.

Sophomore Jeff Cammans (Jamestown, R.I.) led off with a bunt single before LeBel sent his first collegiate homerun over the the left center fence to put Rhody in front, 2-1. Sophomore Kenny Burns (Shelton, Conn.) then reached on an infield error and advanced to third on Palmer's one-out double down the left field line before crossing the plate on a single to left by Rhault. Palmer would score Rhody's final run of the inning on an RBI single by Coulombe.

After Burns singled and stole second in the bottom of the fifth, Palmer kept things rolling and gave the Rams 6-1 advantage on a shot that cleared the left field fence. Rhault and Coulombe both crossed the plate on wild pitches to give Rhode Island an 8-1 lead after five complete innings.

Duquesne plated a pair in the top of the sixth but Rhody responded again, plating two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning.

The Dukes continued to chip away at the lead the following inning, scoring three off of Rhody's sophomore reliever Ken Graveline (Prospect, Conn.). That was as close as Duquesne would get though, as Leaver retired the next six batters to seal the 10-6 Rhode Island victory.

Gary Pierpont took the loss for the Dukes after allowing 13 hits and ten runs (nine earned) in 5.2 innings on the mound.

Rhode Island (2-2) and Duquesne are set to meet again on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m.