FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 13, 2003

Rhode Island College 2003 Baseball  Season Summary

(20-19-1 Overall; 5-9 in the Little East Conference)

Head Coach Jay Grenier’s team (Career record: 257-142-1, .644) finished the 2003 season with a 20-19-1 overall record and a 5-9 (sixth place) mark in the Little East Conference.

RIC saw its season end with an 8-0 loss to Western Connecticut in the second round of the Little East Tournament on May 8. RIC dropped the opening round game to top-seeded, and defending National Champions, Eastern Connecticut, 6-2, on May 7. The squad’s 20 wins double the team’s total from last year, and the program saw numerous single-season offensive marks fall with players setting new records in hits, runs and RBI.

Senior pitcher Dan Furtado (East Providence, RI) closed out his four-year career as an Anchorman, having appeared in 44 games, starting ten of them. He posted a 3-8 record with four saves, an 8.12 earned run average, 113.1 innings pitched and 65 strikeouts. His 34 career relief appearances rank him second all-time in RIC history.

As a senior in 2003, Furtado appeared in 12 games, starting one of them. He was 1-0 with a 2.43 ERA, four saves and 23 strikeouts in 29.2 innings. His four saves were the third-most for a single season in RIC history.

As a junior in 2002, he appeared in 12 games. He was 0-2 with an 8.84 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 19.1 innings pitched.

As a sophomore in 2001, Furtado appeared in 12 games, starting seven of them. He was 1-5 with 34 strikeouts and a 10.17 ERA in 48.2 innings.

As a freshman in 2000, he appeared in eight games, starting two. The righty was 1-1 with an 11.49 ERA and nine strikeouts in 15.2 innings of work.

He is a criminal justice/sociology major and a 1999 graduate of Our Lady of Fatima High School.

Senior third baseman Brian Peer (Windsor, CT) closed out his two-year career as an Anchorman in 2003. He played two seasons at Manchester Community College prior to joining the RIC baseball program. He played in 55 games, starting 49 of them, at RIC. He recorded a .298 career batting average with 181 at-bats, 30 runs, 54 hits, 13 doubles, two home runs and 29 RBI. He owns a .435 career slugging percentage and a .373 career on-base percentage.

As a senior in 2003, Peer played in 36 games, starting 34 of them. He batted .298 with 21 runs, 36 hits, ten doubles, two home runs and 22 RBI. He owned a .430 slugging percentage, .386 on-base percentage and a .827 fielding percentage.

As a junior in 2002, he played in 19 games, starting 15 of them. He batted .300 with nine runs, 18 hits, three doubles and seven RBI. He owned a .350 slugging percentage, a .344 on-base percentage and a .816 fielding percentage.

He is a justice studies major and a 1998 graduate of Windsor High School.

Junior pitcher John Botelho (Tiverton, RI) appeared in 11 games, starting seven of them. He was 2-4 with a 5.63 ERA, two complete games and 43 strikeouts in 46.1 innings.

Junior first baseman Eric Gibree (Bristol, RI) was named First Team All-Little East Conference. He played in 40 games, starting all of them. He batted .358 with 43 runs, 58 hits, ten doubles, three triples, ten home runs, 51 RBI, and one stolen base. He owned a .642 slugging percentage, a .401 on-base percentage and a .985 fielding percentage. Gibree set new single-season records in hits and RBI and also led the club in extra base hits and home runs. He is 14 hits shy of the all-time hit mark at RIC heading into his senior season.

Junior outfielder Chris Higgins (Swansea, MA) played in three games, starting two of them. He batted .500 with three runs, four hits, one triple and three RBI. Higgins owned a .750 slugging percentage, a .500 on-base percentage and a 1.000 fielding percentage. He injured his ankle during the club’s trip to Florida and missed the remainder of the season.

Sophomore pitcher/outfielder/first baseman Matt Brannon (Cranston, RI) was named the team’s MVP. Brannon played in 40 games, starting all of them. He batted .351 with 26 runs, 53 hits, seven doubles, two triples, two home runs and 41 RBI. He owned a .464 slugging percentage, a .423 on-base percentage and a .958 fielding percentage.

As a pitcher, he appeared in ten games, starting seven of them. He was 5-3 with a 3.05 ERA, four complete games and 39 strikeouts in 62.0 innings. Brannon led the team in wins and innings, and was third in strikeouts.

Sophomore pitcher Brian Baker (Newport, RI) appeared in nine games, starting two of them. He was 1-3 with a 4.76 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 28.1 innings.

Sophomore pitcher Alex Crotteau (Portsmouth, RI) appeared in five games, starting all of them. He was 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA and ten strikeouts in 21.0 innings.

Sophomore pitcher/outfielder Glenn Dusablon (North Smithfield, RI) was named First Team All-Little East as an outfielder. Dusablon played in 38 games, starting all of them. He batted .348 with 54 runs, 56 hits, three doubles, four triples, five home runs, 30 RBI and 14 stolen bases. His 54 runs set a new school record for a single season and he led the team in triples. He owned a .509 slugging percentage, a .393 on-base percentage and a .936 fielding percentage.

As a pitcher, he appeared in seven games, starting six of them. He is 2-2 with a 6.81 ERA, two complete games and 26 strikeouts in 39.2 innings.

Sophomore infielder Mike Luke (Cranston, RI) played in 16 games, starting nine of them. He batted .241 with two runs, eight hits, one double and seven RBI. He owned a .243 slugging percentage, a .370 on-base percentage and a .822 fielding percentage. Luke was hit by a pitch five times this season, increasing his school-record career total to 18.

Sophomore pitcher Jim Milano (Johnston, RI) appeared in nine games, starting eight of them. He was 3-5 with a 6.51 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 47.0 innings. Milano was second on the team in wins, innings pitched and strikeouts.

Sophomore catcher/infielder Anthony Pacitto (Johnston, RI) played in 25 games, starting 21 of them. He batted .244 with 15 runs, 19 hits, two doubles and 11 RBI. He owned a .269 slugging percentage, a .318 on-base percentage and a .994 fielding percentage.

Sophomore catcher Chris Smaldone (Johnston, RI) played in 34 games, starting all of them. He batted .244 with 18 runs, 29 hits, two doubles and 15 RBI. He owned a .261 slugging percentage, a .350 on-base percentage and a .962 fielding percentage.

Freshman outfielder Evan Aten (Middletown, RI) played in 29 games, starting 24 of them. He batted .167 with five runs, 13 hits, four doubles and eight RBI. He owned a .256 slugging percentage, a .261 on-base percentage and a .905 fielding percentage.

Freshman pitcher Wade Briggs (Woonsocket, RI) appeared in nine games, starting one of them. He was 2-1 with a 5.95 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 19.2 innings. Briggs was tied for third on the club in wins.

Freshman pitcher Jason DeCesare (North Providence, RI) appeared in eight games, starting three of them. He was 1-0 with a 4.68 ERA, two saves and 17 strikeouts in 25.0 innings. He was second on the team in saves.

Freshman infielder Ray De La Cruz (Pawtucket, RI) played in 39 games, starting 37 of them. He batted .233 with 31 runs, 35 hits, nine doubles, one triple, nine RBI, and seven stolen bases. He owned a .307 slugging percentage, a .288 on-base percentage and a .893 fielding percentage.

Freshman pitcher Brian Farley (North Providence, RI) appeared in seven games. He was 2-0 with a 12.19 ERA and six strikeouts in 10.1 innings. Farley was tied for third on the team in wins.

Freshman outfielder Mike Naylor (Warwick, RI) played in 40 games, starting all of them. He batted .247 with 33 runs, 37 hits, nine doubles, one triple, one home run, 22 RBI, and eight stolen bases. He owned a .340 slugging percentage, a .350 on-base percentage and a .913 fielding percentage.

Freshman infielder Adolfo Perez (Miami, FL) played in 38 games, starting 37 of them. He batted .254 with 33 runs, 36 hits, 14 doubles, two home runs, 17 RBI and three stolen bases. He owned a .394 slugging percentage, a .361 on-base percentage and a .898 fielding percentage. Perez led the team in doubles.