April 23, 2010

Box Score

KINGSTON, R.I. - With two away in the top of the ninth and the score tied at 9-9, senior Oliver Palmer drilled the first pitch he saw over the left field fence to lift the Rams past Xavier on Friday afternoon at Bill Beck Field. Palmer finished the day with four hits, three RBI, two runs and two stolen bases.

Senior Zoey Angulo and junior Evan Laude each recorded three hits in the win while juniors Kyle Borden and Tom Coulombe and sophomores Milan Adams and Mike LeBel finished with two apiece. Coulombe, Borden and redshirt sophomore Dan Haverstick also scored twice each for URI. Angulo, meanwhile, drove in three runs.

Coulombe has now hit safely in each of the Rams last nine contests while Angulo extends his hit streak to six games.

Junior Gardner Leaver picked up his first win on the mound, as he came on in the ninth and retired the first three batters he faced. Xavier's Alex Vice took the loss.

The Musketeers (13-26, 7-6) jumped out to a three-run lead in the top of the first and extended it to 4-0 in the top of the fifth, but the Rams responded with a six-spot in the bottom of the frame to take over the lead.

Adams got things started with a single up the middle before Haverstick doubled to right. LeBel then singled through the left side to plate Adams and Palmer followed with a bunt single that scored Haverstick. Borden's two-run single up the middle evened the score at 4-4 but the Rams weren't done there. Coulombe then singled to right and both runners advanced on a sac bunt by Laude before scoring on Angulo's single through the left side and putting URI in front 6-4.

However the lead was short lived as XU came back and plated five more in the top of the sixth to move back in front 9-6.

Rhode Island (19-17, 8-5) kept at it though and tied things up at 9-9 in the eighth, thanks to a two-run triple by Laude and a run-scoring sacrifice fly by Angulo.

The Rams carried the momentum into the ninth with Leaver taking care of the first three batters he faced to get the Rams back to the plate. It was then that Palmer ripped his game-winning homerun, which also scored Haverstick, who had reached on a fielder's choice play.

The two teams will return to Bill Beck Field tomorrow for a doubleheader, beginning at noon. Game two is scheduled to begin at approximately 3 p.m.