March 15, 2009

Box Score

STILLWATER, Okla. - Junior Zoey Angulo's (Miami, Fla.) two-run shot in the fifth inning proved to be the difference as the Rhode Island baseball team upset 11th-ranked Oklahoma State, Sunday evening at Reynolds Stadium. Sophomore Gardner Leaver (Montauk, N.Y.) earned the win on the mound while senior Luke Demko (Gilford, N.H.) picked up his third save of the season.

Freshman shortstop Mike LeBel (Quincy, Mass.) finished with two hits, two putouts, three assists and a run for Rhode Island while Angulo added two runs and five putouts in left field.

The win - which is the Rams' third over a ranked opponent this season - improves Rhody's record to 8-5. Oklahoma State meanwhile - which entered the game ranked in five national polls: NCBWA (#11), Collegiate Baseball (#12), ESPN/USA Today (#12), Rivals.com (#12) and Baseball America (#19) - drops to 13-4.

For the Cowboys, the defeat was just their second at home this season. OSU's only other loss at Reynolds Stadium came to fourth-ranked (Rivals.com) Cal State Fullerton, which narrowly edged Rhode Island (4-3) earlier this afternoon.

Angulo gave URI an early lead as he drew a one-out walk in the top of the first and stole second with two down. Sophomore Tom Coulombe (Lincoln, R.I.) then reached first and advanced to second on an error by OSU right fielder Doug Kroll. Angulo came around to score on the play. Junior Rob DeVeney (Marlton, N.J.) followed with a double to right center that plated Coulombe and gave URI a 2-0 advantage.

The Cowboys got one back in the bottom of the second on a homerun by Tyrone Hambly, but Rhode Island went back up by a pair when LeBel drew a two-out walk and then scored on an RBI double by redshirt freshman Dan Haverstick (Marlton, M.J.).

LeBel, who is currently second on the team with a .429 on-base percentage and nine runs, is also one of just four Rams (and the only freshman) to appear and start in all 13 games this season.

Angulo kept things going for the Rams with a two-run shot that put Rhody on top 5-1 in the top of the fifth before Oklahoma State closed the gap with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth.

The Cowboys added another in the bottom of the ninth after a pair of walks and a two-out RBI single by Dean Green, but Demko struck out Michael Dabbs to end the game with runners on first and third.

Oklahoma State's Thomas Keeling was charged with the loss after surrendering six hits and five runs in five innings of work.

Rhode Island now travels to Williamsburg, Va. for a two-game series at William and Mary. URI will take on the Tribe at 5 p.m. on both Tuesday and Wednesday.