April 16, 2011

Box Score

KINGSTON, R.I. - Senior Ken Graveline fanned a career-high 12 batters over eight innings of work as the Rhode Island baseball team escaped Saint Joseph's ninth-inning rally with an 8-6 win on Saturday afternoon. Graveline has now struck out 44 batters this season while allowing just two walks over 56.1 innings pitched.

Redshirt junior Greg Annarummo led URI at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three runs and an RBI and extending his hit streak to 11 games - the longest by any Ram so far this season.

The Rhody base runners combined for four stolen bases on the afternoon - two of which came from junior Mike LeBel. The Rams - who have now stolen nine bases in the series vs. the Hawks - entered the week ranked sixth in the nation with an average of 2.23 thefts per game.

Graveline took control early on, allowing a lead-off double to open the game but coming back to retire the next eight batters - including five consecutive strikeouts from the first through third innings.

Rhode Island (19-14, 6-5), meanwhile, built up a 4-1 lead over the four frames as Annarummo and senior Kyle Borden both scored in the second before Annarummo doubled to drive in senior Tom Coulombe and then scored again - on a base hit by redshirt sophomore Pat Fortunato - in the bottom of the fourth. Fortunato finished the day with two hits and a walk for the Rams.

URI pushed it to 6-1 in the fifth as freshman Jeff Roy led off with a triple and scored on a ground out by Coulombe before LeBel crossed the plate on a double by Borden.

The Hawks (13-21, 4-7) got one back in the top of the sixth, but two more Rhody runs in the seventh made it an 8-2 game.

St. Joe's did not back down though, rallying back with four runs in the ninth and ending the game with the tying run on first base.

Senior Dan Johnson earned the save, his fourth of the season, while SJU starter Chad Simendinger took the loss.

The Rams and Hawks return to Bill Beck Field to close out the series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch - which was originally scheduled for Noon - has been pushed back to 1 p.m. due forecasted rains.