March 22, 2009

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ARLINGTON, Va. - Senior Dan Rhault (Lincoln, R.I.) homered twice to help lead the Rhode Island baseball team past George Washington, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at Barcroft Park. Rhault had a hand in three of Rhody's four runs while junior starter Eric Smith (Milford, Conn.) struck out a season-high seven batters in as many innings of work to get the win.

The victory improves Rhody's record to 12-6 (2-1 Atlantic 10) while the Colonials fall to 10-13 (1-2).

With the score tied at 3-3 in the top of the eighth, junior Rob DeVeney (Marlton, N.J.) drove in the game-winning run on an RBI fielder's choice ball. With Palmer on third and Rhault on first, DeVeney grounded to GW shortstop Tom Zebroski - who threw to second to get Rhault on the force. Palmer crossed the plate on the play, putting Rhody ahead 4-3.

Senior closer Luke Demko (Gilford, N.H.) then took the mound and shut down the Colonials' offense, striking out three batters and allowing zero hits, to collect his league-leading sixth save of the season. George Washington's Pat Lehman took the loss.

The Rams had went ahead, 2-0, in the top of the fourth after junior Oliver Palmer (North Kingstown, R.I.) led off with an infield single and came around to score when Rhault cleared the left field fence for his first shot of the game. In his next at-bat, Rhault homered to right center to put URI up, 3-0, in the top of the sixth.

Rhault's multiple-homerun performance marked the second time this season that the Rhody shortstop went yard twice in a game as he also homered two times in URI's season-opener at NC State.

The Colonials went on to even the score with a three-run seventh-inning, but URI put the game away in the top of the eighth.

The Rams now return home after an 11-day, nine-game road trip. Rhody will be off on Monday before traveling to Boston for a Tuesday afternoon game at Northeastern. First pitch will be thrown at 3 p.m.