April 25, 2009

Box Score

NORRISTOWN, R.I. - Freshman Mike LeBel (Quincy, Mass.) went a perfect 4-for-4 to help the Rhode Island baseball team hand Saint Joseph's a 14-7 loss, Saturday afternoon at Latshaw-McCarthy Field. LeBel also drove in three runs and scored twice as the Rams combined for 18 hits on the afternoon.

Sophomore Tom Coulombe (Lincoln, R.I.) and senior Dan Rhault (Lincoln, R.I.) both finished the day 3-for-4 at the plate. Coulombe added a pair of runs while Rhault scored three times.

With the win, the first-place Rams improve to 28-13-1 (14-2) on the season while St. Joes falls to 14-21-1 (7-9). URI has now won 11 of its last 12 games and 10-consecutive Atlantic 10 contests dating back to April 4th.

With the game tied 1-1 after two innings, Rhody took over the lead in the top of the third and never looked back. Sophomore Pete Mastors (Narragansett, R.I.) scored first on an RBI single by Coulombe before Rhault crossed the plate on a wild pitch. LeBel then singled to right to score Coulombe and put URI on top 4-1.

St. Joes cut the Rams' lead to one (4-3) in the bottom of the frame but Rhody stretched it to 5-3 in the top of the fifth when redshirt freshman Adam Derner (River Dell, N.J.) singled to left center to score Rhault.

After a 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth, Rhode Island exploded for an eight-run sixth inning. LeBel led off with a single to left and came around to score on a triple by Mastors, who in turn was plated on a double by Rhault.

With junior Oliver Palmer (North Kingstown, R.I.) on third and Rhault on second, the Hawks intentionally walked Coulombe, hoping to set up a double play. However, the plan backfired as redshirt freshman Dan Haverstick (Marlton, N.J.) sent a bases-clearing double to left center to put URI ahead 10-3. Junior Rob DeVeney (Marlton, N.J.) then doubled to score Haverstick before crossing the plate on a two-bagger by LeBel. LeBel eventually came around to score his second run of the inning on a wild pitch, giving Rhody a 13-3 lead.

A sacrifice fly by Mike Plakis plated Brian Hartsell to make it 13-4 in the bottom of the inning but Palmer would go on to score on a wild pitch to put the Rams back in front by 10 (14-4) in the top of the seventh.

St. Joes would add one run in the seventh and two more in ninth, ending things at 14-7.

Junior starter Nick Greenwood (Southington, Conn.) earned the win, recording four strikeouts and three earned runs over six innings to improve to 4-3 on the season. Dominic Favazza took the loss for the Hawks.

Rhode Island and St. Joes will close out the three-game series tomorrow afternoon. First pitch at Latshaw-McCarthy Field is set for Noon.