May 23, 2009
DAYTON, Ohio - The Rhode Island baseball team rallied back from a six-run deficit but it wasn't enough as the second-seeded Rams dropped a 9-7 decision to third-seeded Xavier in the Championship game of the Atlantic 10 tournament. Because of the double-elimination format, URI and XU will now face off in a decisive winner-takes-all game at approximately 4:25 p.m.
Sophomore Tom Coulombe (Lincoln, R.I.) led Rhode Island at the plate, finishing the game with three hits - including a home run and a double - and four runs batted in. Senior Dan Rhault (Lincoln, R.I.) was the only other player to record multiple hits on the afternoon as he finished with two and a run scored. Junior Oliver Palmer (North Kingstown, R.I.) scored twice while sophomore Jeff Cammans (Jamestown, R.I.) drove in a pair of runs for the Rams.
Xavier (37-19) came out strong from the very beginning, plating six runs on seven hits over the first two innings of play.
Coulombe then led off the bottom of the second with a shot over the wall in left centerfield to make the score 6-1.
Rhody (37-19-1) plated two more in in the bottom of the fourth as Palmer send a lead-off double down the left field line and advanced to third on a single to left by Rhault. Coulombe then flew out to left to score Palmer before Cammans did the same to plate Rhault and make it a 6-3 game.
Smith faced just four batters in the top of the fifth to get the Rams back in the dugout and up to the plate where they tacked on four more runs to go up 7-6.
Junior Rob DeVeney (Marlton, N.J.) got things started with a lead-off walk and advanced to second on a throwing error by XU second baseman Drew Schmidt. Freshman Milan Adams (Exeter, R.I.) reached first safely on the fielder's choice play. Junior Zoey Angulo (Miami, Fla.) followed with a single to right to load the bases before Palmer was hit by a pitch to send DeVeney across the plate.
Rhault then popped up to third for the second out of the inning before Coulombe ripped a two-run single into right field to score both Adams and Angulo and tie it at 6-6.
The Rams then took their only lead of the game on a Cammans double that sent Palmer across the plate for the 7-6 advantage.
The Musketeers came back and used a two-out rally to tack on three more runs in the top of the seventh, reclaiming a 9-7 lead.
Rhody did the same in the bottom of the frame as Rhault singled, Coulombe doubled and Cammans walked - all with two outs - to load the bases for freshman Mike LeBel (Quincy, Mass.). Xavier's starting shortstop/closing pitcher Jordan Conley then moved to the mound and got LeBel out on three straight pitches to keep URI down 9-7.
Conley would keep the ball for the remainder of the game, picking up his 13th save of the season while Brian Muransky got the win after tossing two innings. Smith was charged with the loss for URI, giving up eight earned runs on 11 hits with five strikeouts.
