May 22, 2010

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KINGSTON, R.I. - Rhode Island junior Kyle Borden drove in two runs on two hits - including the game-winner - as the Rams edged George Washington, 3-2, on Senior Day at Bill Beck Field. As a team, Rhody collected 11 hits while limiting the Colonials to five on the day.

Prior to the start of the game, Rhode Island held a brief ceremony to honor its five graduating seniors: Zoey Angulo, Tim Boyce, Rob DeVeney, Oliver Palmer and Dan Rossignol. Angulo and Rossignol were also honored as co-recipients of the 2010 Abarr Unsung Hero Award.

The Rams finish the regular season with an overall record of 29-24 and will enter next week's Atlantic 10 Championship as the No. 3 seed after posting a 17-10 mark in league play.

Both of George Washington's runs came off of solo home runs by Tom Zebroski and Chris Luick.

Luick's round tripper gave the Colonials a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first and the Rams stranded five runners over the next four innings before finally evening the score in the bottom of the fifth. With two away, Borden singled to left to plate LeBel, who had reached on an infield single.

GW wasted little time reclaiming the lead though as Zebroski led off with a shot over the left field fence to put the Colonials back in front, 2-1, in the top of the sixth.

Sophomore Mike LeBel got things started in the eighth, leading off with another single to third base. He then advanced to second on a ground out by Borden before tying things back up at 2-2 on an RBI double by junior Tom Coulombe. The run - which was LeBel's 59th of the season - marked a new individual single-season record at URI.

Rhody kept things rolling as junior Evan Laude was hit by a pitch and senior Zoey Angulo drew a walk to load the bases for classmate Rob DeVeney. With the count at 0-2, DeVeney was hit by a pitch - which would have sent in the go-ahead run - but was then called back to the plate for intentionally leaning into the pitch. DeVeney then flew out to center to end the inning with three runners left on base.

Junior closer Gardner Leaver came on in the ninth and retired the side to get Rhody back to the plate where redshirt sophomore Dan Haverstick led off with a single up the middle. Junior Kenny Burns came in to pinch run for Haverstick and moved to second on a bunt single by sophomore Milan Adams before both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Senior Oliver Palmer was then intentionally walked to bring up Borden - who ended things with an RBI single into right field.

Leaver got the win for Rhode Island, while GW's Eric Cantrell went 8.1 innings for the Colonials and took the loss.

The Rams will be back in action at the Atlantic 10 Championship on Wednesday afternoon. Rhody enters the tournament as the No. 3 seed and will take on the No. 6 seed at 3:30 p.m. All games will be played at Campbell's Field in Camden, N.J.

Additional details on tournament seeding will be released later tonight, following the conclusion of the Duquesne at Fordham game, which begins at 7 p.m.