FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 18, 2005

Rhode Island College Baseball Update #4

(12-10 Overall; 5-3 in the Little East)

Providence, RI--Head Coach Jay Grenier's team is 12-10 overall and 5-3 in the Little East Conference. The Anchormen played six games last week, all at home, and went 5-1. RIC opened up the week by defeating LEC opponent UMass Dartmouth, 6-3, on Tuesday Apr. 12. The Anchormen then defeated Roger Williams, 14-12, on Wednesday Apr. 13. RIC played LEC foe UMass Boston on Saturday, Apr. 16, and split the doubleheader, losing the first game 7-6, but taking the second contest from the Beacons, 11-4. The Anchormen concluded their week with a doubleheader sweep of LEC opponent Keene State on Sunday Apr. 17. RIC won the contests against the Owls by scores of 8-7 and 8-4, respectively.

Senior outfielder Chris Higgins (Swansea, MA) has played in 22 games, starting 21 of them. He is batting a team-high .413 with a team-high 33 hits and two home runs along with, five doubles, one triple, 18 RBI, 14 runs scored, six walks and two stolen bases. Higgins owns team-highs with a .456 on-base percentage and a .575 slugging percentage. He also has a .964 fielding percentage. He has been named the LEC Player of the Week once this season.

Freshman first baseman Jim Connell (Smithfield, RI) has played in 20 games, starting 19 of them. He is batting .269 with 18 hits, six doubles, two home runs, five walks, 11 runs scored and a team-high 19 RBI. Connell owns a slugging percentage of .448, a on base percentage of .338 and a .987 fielding percentage. Connell went 10-for-23 (.435) last week with two home runs, three doubles, three runs scored and 14 RBI.

Senior first baseman/pitcher Matt Brannon (Cranston, RI) has played in 22 games, starting all of them. He is batting .355 with 27 hits, one double, two triples, one home run, 16 runs scored, 18 RBI and nine walks. Brannon owns a .461 slugging percentage, a .425 on-base percentage and a .990 fielding percentage. On the mound, Brannon has appeared in four games, starting three of them. He owns a 1-1 record with a 4.58 ERA. In 19.2 innings pitched, he has struck out 13 batters.

Senior pitcher James Milano (Johnston, RI) has appeared in six games, starting five of them. He owns a 1-3 record with a 4.76 ERA. In 28.1 innings pitched, he has struck out 20 batters.

Senior third baseman Chris Smaldone (Johnston, RI) has played in 22 games, starting all of them. He is batting .215 with 14 hits, two doubles, six walks, seven RBI, eight runs scored and one stolen base. Smaldone owns a .246 slugging percentage, a .311 on-base percentage and a .924 fielding percentage.

Senior third baseman/designated hitter Brian Trupiano (Franklin, MA) has played in 13 games, starting 12 of them. He is batting .268 with 11 hits, three doubles, seven runs scored and three stolen bases. Trupiano owns a .341 slugging percentage and a .286 on-base percentage.

Junior pitcher Wade Briggs (Woonsocket, RI) has appeared in six games, starting four of them. He has a 2-0 record with one save and has thrown one complete game. He leads all starters with a 1.59 ERA. In 30.2 innings pitched, he has a team-high 32 strikeouts.

Junior right fielder Mike Naylor (Warwick, RI) broke his hand after being hit by a pitch, and will be out the remainder of the season. Prior to getting injured, Naylor played in seven games, starting all of them. He batted .318 with seven hits, one double, six runs scored and three RBI. Naylor owned a .364 slugging percentage, a .333 on-base percentage and a 1.000 fielding percentage.

Junior pitcher Bruce Taraska (Exeter, RI) has appeared in six games. He owns a 1-0 record and leads all relievers with a 1.07 ERA. In 8.2 innings pitched, he has struck out seven batters.

Sophomore pitcher Caleb Barber (Mystic, CT) has appeared in five games, starting two of them. He owns a 2-2 record with one complete game and a 3.55 ERA. In 12.2 innings pitched, he has struck out ten batters.

Sophomore catcher Tim Henault (East Greenwich, RI) has played in 19 games, starting 17 of them. He is batting .324 with 22 hits, five doubles, two triples, 11 walks, 17 runs scored and 13 RBI. Henault owns a .456 slugging percentage and a .407 on-base percentage along with a .990 fielding percentage.

Senior infielder Jamie Aldoupolis (Ashland, MA) has played in 14 games, starting ten of them. He is batting .270 with ten hits, one triple, one home run, 11 RBI and two walks. Aldoupolis owns a .405 slugging percentage, a .325 on-base percentage and a .886 fielding percentage.

Junior infielder/outfielder David Smith (Wakefield, RI) has played in 15 games, starting 14 of them. He is batting .205 with eight hits, seven walks, seven runs scored and three RBI. Smith owns a .205 slugging percentage, a .360 on base percentage and a .900 fielding percentage.

Sophomore infielder Chris Martin (Watertown, CT) has played in 11 games, starting six of them. He is batting .226 with seven hits, one triple, one walk, four RBI and six runs scored. He owns a .290 slugging percentage, a .265 on base percentage and a 1.000 fielding percentage.

Freshman pitcher Brett Warner (Branford, CT) has appeared in two games. He owns a 0-0 record with a 13.50 ERA. In 2.0 innings pitched, he has struck out two batters.

Freshman first baseman Jesse Earl (North Providence, RI) has played in four games. He is batting .500 with two hits, two doubles, one walk and one run scored. Earl owns a .750 slugging percentage, a .600 on base percentage and a 1.000 fielding percentage.

Freshman infielder Peter Olson (North Providence, RI) has played in 17 games, starting 16 of them. He is batting .309 with 17 hits, five doubles, five walks, five runs scored and five RBI. Olson owns a .400 slugging percentage, a .361 on base percentage and a .889 fielding percentage.

Freshman pitcher Eric Thibault (Somerset, MA) has appeared in six games, starting four of them. He owns a 2-2 record with a 4.22 ERA and one complete game. In a team-high 32.0 innings pitched, he has struck out 19 batters.

Freshman outfielder Robert Doyon (Douglas, MA) has played in 15 games, starting 14 of them. He is batting .310 with 18 hits, one home run, four doubles, three walks, nine RBI and 11 runs scored. Doyon owns a .431 slugging percentage, a .355 on base percentage and a 1.000 fielding percentage.

Freshman pitcher Eric Fama (Wappingers Falls, NY) has appeared in six games. He owns a 0-1 record with a 6.43 ERA. In 7.0 innings pitched, he has struck out nine batters.

Freshman pitcher Brian Farley (North Providence, RI) has appeared in six games. He owns a 0-1 record with a 7.71 ERA. In 9.1 innings pitched, he has struck out ten batters.

Freshman pitcher Carlos Hernandez (Providence, RI) has appeared in one game. He owns a 0-0 record with a 0.00 ERA. In 1.0 innings pitched, he has struck out one batter.

Freshman catcher Paul Kelley (Hope, RI) has played in three games. He has one walk and one run scored. Kelley owns an on base percentage of .167 and a fielding percentage of 1.000.

Freshman outfielder Ryan Bere (Belmont, MA) has played in two games.

In upcoming action, the Anchormen are scheduled to play five games this week. RIC will face Elms on Tuesday, Apr. 19 at home for a 3:30 p.m. tilt, before playing the rest of its games for the week on the road. The Anchormen will travel to Curry on Wednesday, Apr. 20 and to Clark on Thursday, Apr. 21, for 3:30 p.m. contests. RIC will close out its week on the road at LEC foe Western Connecticut on Saturday, Apr. 23 for a doubleheader slated to start at noon.

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