May 3, 2009

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KINGSTON, R.I. - Freshman Milan Adams' (Exeter, R.I.) bases-loaded two-out single to third in the bottom of the 12th inning sent sophomore Tom Coulombe (Lincoln, R.I.) across the plate and lifted the Rhode Island baseball team to a 7-6 win over Fordham on Senior Day at Bill Beck Field. Sophomore Jeff Cammans (Jamestown, R.I.) led the Rams offensively, finishing the day 4-for-5 at the plate.

Cammans also scored twice for Rhody, as did redshirt freshman Adam Derner (River Dell, N.J.) who took first twice after being hit and once on a walk.

Sophomore Gardner Leaver (Montauk, N.Y.) - who came on in the top of the tenth - got the win for Rhode Island as he allowed just two hits with three strikeouts over three complete innings. Fordham's Jake Rabinowitz was charged with the loss. The teams combined to go through 12 pitchers (Fordham 7, Rhode Island 5) over the four-hour marathon.

Fordham (6-30, 10-11) took an early lead, plating two runs in the top of the first but URI got one back in the bottom of the inning. Lead-off batter sophomore Pete Mastors (Narragansett, R.I.) was hit by a pitch before advancing to second when senior Dan Rhault (Lincoln, R.I.) was walked. Mastors and Rhault then pulled off a double-steal before Coulombe's sacrifice fly to right sent Mastors across the plate to make the score 2-1.

Derner evened things up at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth, drawing a one-out walk and coming around to score on back-to-back errors by Fordham second baseman Nick Martinez.

In his next trip to the plate, Derner put Rhody ahead 3-2 as he was hit by a pitch with two away before scoring from first on junior Rob DeVeney's (Marlton, N.J.) double down the left field line.

Rhode Island (32-15-1, 17-3) made it a 4-2 game in the bottom of the seventh when Cammans led off with a double to left center and eventually scored on a passed ball.

Fordham, however, closed the gap with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth. In Rhody's half of the inning, Rhault led off with a single to right but was unable to advance past third, keeping things locked at 4-4.

With two away in the top of the ninth, Mike Mobbs doubled to left center to send Ryan Maghini across the plate and put Fordham ahead 5-4. John Kahn then reached on a throwing error by Rhault, which allowed Mobbs to score and put the visiting Rams in front by two (6-4).

Cammans kept URI in it with a lead-off homer to left centerfield in the bottom of the ninth. After a Fordham pitching change, LeBel took first on a walk before Adams flew out to deep right field.

Fordham then went to the bullpen, bringing in left handed pitcher J.P. Mack - who threw all nine innings for the Rams on Friday. LeBel stole second to move himself into scoring position for junior Zoey Angulo (Miami, Fla.) who came in to pinch hit for the left handed Mastors. Angulo singled to center, advancing LeBel to third and setting up junior Oliver Palmer's (North Kingstown, R.I.) game-tying sacrifice fly to center.

It appeared as though Palmer would end things for Rhody in the bottom of the 11th, but what looked to be a walk-off home run actually hit the top of the fence and bounced back into right centerfield, halting Palmer at second base.

Rhody was unable to push a run across the plate until the bottom of the 12th inning when Coulombe reached on a fielding error by Bobby DiNardo. DiNardo was able to backhand Coulombe's ball but mistakenly left it on the ground as he headed back to the bag without the ball in his possession. Coulombe then stole second and advanced to third after Cammans and LeBel drew back-to-back walks with two down.

After Fordham sent Bobby Coyle to the mound, Adams worked a 3-2 count into an infield single, sending a dribbler between third and the mound and reaching first safely when Coyle's throw pulled DiNardo off the bag. Coulombe came in to score and give Rhody the 7-6 victory.

Prior to the start of the game, URI's three seniors - Rhault, Luke Demko and Joe Abarr - were recognized in a brief ceremony. Abarr was also presented with the first annual Unsung Hero Award as head coach Jim Foster announced that, moving forward, it will be called the Abarr Unsung Hero Award.

URI returns to action next weekend when it heads to Amherst, Mass. for a three-game series with the Minutemen. The two teams will play at 3 p.m. on Friday, Noon on Saturday and Noon on Sunday.