March 13, 2009

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STILLWATER, Okla. - The Rhode Island baseball team was defeated, 17-3, by fourth-ranked Cal State Fullerton, Friday afternoon in Stillwater, Okla. Freshmen Mike LeBel (Quincy, Mass.) and Milan Adams (Exeter, R.I.) record two hits each for the Rams.

Rhody got things started early as junior Zoey Angulo (Miami, Fla.) sent a one-out single up the middle in the top of the first and then crossed the plate on a double down the left field line by classmate Oliver Palmer (North Kingstown, R.I.).

Fullerton took over the lead in the bottom of the frame with a pair of runs off the bat of Nick Ramirez. The Rams, however, came back and tied it at 2-2 in their next at bat as an RBI-double by Adams plated LeBel, who had tripled to right with one out.

The Titans went on to tally 11 runs over the next four and a half innings before sophomore Pete Mastors (Narragansett, R.I.) homered - in his first trip to the plate this season - to make the score 13-3 in the top of the seventh.

Fullerton plated three more in the bottom of the inning and another in the eighth to lock up the 17-3 victory in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

Redshirt junior starter Tim Boyce (Swansea, Mas.) was charged with the loss after giving up nine hits and nine runs in 2.2 innings. Tyler Pill earned the win for the Titans.

The loss drops Rhody to 7-3 overall and 2-1 against ranked teams this season. Fullerton meanwhile - which entered the game ranked in five national polls: Rivals.com (#4), Baseball America (#6), ESPN/USA Today (#7), Collegiate Baseball (#7) and NCBWA (#9) - improved to to 11-2.

The Rams are back in action on Saturday afternoon when they take on No. 11 Oklahoma State at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time.