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University of Rhode Island

Header
7
Winner Rhode Island URI 17-25, 11-10 A-10
5
Saint Louis SLU 17-27, 8-13 A-10
Winner
Rhode Island URI
17-25, 11-10 A-10
7
Final
5
Saint Louis SLU
17-27, 8-13 A-10
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 R H E
Rhode Island URI 0 1 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 7 11 0
Saint Louis SLU 0 1 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 12 1

W: Grotyohann, Connor (2-0) L: Andrew Dumont (0-1) S: Sabbath, Joe (2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Connolly's Two-Run Double Lifts Rams Over Saint Louis in 12th

Rhode Island Starters (17-25, 11-10 Atlantic 10)
Penney (2B), Moroney (SS), Thompson (1B), Hopko (RF), King (3B), Leikus (C), Botti (LF), Connolly (DH), Henschel (CF), E. Maloney (P)

Saint Louis Starters (17-27, 8-13 Atlantic 10)
Kleinheider (2B), Gomric (LF), Iffrig (1B), Beattie (DH), Canzoni (3B), Deutsch (C), Neuweg (SS), Bond (RF), Duff (CF), Andrunas (P)

How It Happened
Brian Connolly delivered a two-run double in the top of the 12th inning to lift Rhode Island past Saint Louis, 7-5, in Sunday's rubber match.

Ryan King started the Rams' game-winning rally with a one-out single in the 12th. Danny Leikus followed with a walk, and Aidan Botti was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Connolly, who doubled down the right-field line to plate two runs.

Saint Louis threatened in the bottom half of the inning, loading the bases with two outs against Joe Sabbath. Sabbath escaped the jam by getting Billikens two-hitter Hank Gomric to pop out to short, securing the series win.

Rhode Island's final three arms out of the bullpen kept the Rams in position to win. Manny Santos entered in the seventh with the score tied at five and tossed four innings of two-hit ball while striking out five. In the bottom of the 10th, Santos stranded the winning run on third by inducing a foul out down the first-base line.

Connor Grotyohann followed Santos and earned the win. After walking the first batter he faced in the 11th, Grotyohann got a fly out and a ground-ball double play to send the game to the 12th.

The first six innings went back and forth. Rhode Island trailed 4-3 entering the fifth before King singled in Jack Hopko to tie the game. Scott Penney then doubled home Connolly in the sixth to give the Rams a 5-4 lead, but Saint Louis answered in the bottom half to even the score at 5-5.

The game remained tied until Connolly's decisive double in the 12th.

Inside the Box Score
  • With the win, Rhode Island is in sole possession of sixth place in the Atlantic 10 with nine conference games remaining. 
  • The top six teams in the conference's regular season standings make the A-10's postseason tournament from May 20 through May 23 in Tysons, Va. 
  • Ryan King went 4-for-4 in the game with two runs and an RBI. He also stole a base.
  • Brian Connolly had a two-hit day with three RBI and a run scored. He also stole two bases. 
  • Scott Penney had two hits, a run scored, and an RBI.
  • Reece Moroney and Jack Hopko each had a hit and a run scored.
  • Danny Leikus had an RBI. 
  • Parker Aikens was the first reliever for the Rams. He tossed 1.2 innings and allowed three hits and no runs. 
  • Manny Santos threw a career-best 4.0 innings, allowed two hits, two walks, no runs, and five strikeouts.
  • Connor Grotyohann faced the minimum three batters in the 11th and allowed no hits and walked one. 
  • Joe Sabbath earned his second save of the series and season. Sabbath, Rhode Island's primary closer in 2025, now has 10 career saves. 
  • Sabbath is now tied for seventh-most in career saves in program history with Jamie Degidio (2005-08) and Nick Johnson (2015-18).
Up Next
Rhode Island visits New Haven on Tuesday, April 28 for a midweek meeting with the Chargers. The game is slated for a 3 p.m. start.

 
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