FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 8, 2008

Thibault hurls Anchormen to season-opening win

TEMPLE TERRANCE, Fla. – Senior starting pitcher Eric Thibault (Somerset, Mass.) hurled a complete-game, five-hitter to lead Rhode Island College to a 4-1 victory over Colby-Sawyer College this afternoon in the season-opener for both clubs at Florida College.

            Thibault struck out four and did not allow a walk, while surrendering just five hits in an economical — 69 pitches—seven innings of work. The right-hander set down the side in order in the first two innings before getting into a slight jam in the third. Unfazed by the Chargers (0-1), Thibault allowed just one base runner to reach base in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, respectively. He capped off his performance with his third 1-2-3 inning in the seventh and final stanza.

 Eric Thibault

            Rhode Island College (1-0) cracked the scoring column in the top of the first inning, capitalizing on a Colby-Sawyer defensive miscue. Junior shortstop Josh Cardoso (Dartmouth, Mass.) started the surge with two outs, drawing a walk. The Anchormen were aided by an error in the Chargers’ infield to extend the inning. Rhode Island College was able to make the miscue prove costly, loading the bases with a walk to senior first baseman Jim Connell (Smithfield, R.I.). With the count in sophomore designated hitter Tim Schabowski’s (Pascoag, R.I.) favor, Colby-Sawyer starting pitcher Chris Baker uncorked a wild pitch, plating Cardoso for the first run of the ballgame.

              The Anchormen continued to add to their advantage in the second inning as junior third baseman Jeff Costa (Pawtucket, R.I.) laced a frozen rope into the right-centerfield gap for a triple, scoring a pair of Rhode Island College runners to push the lead to 3-0.

            The Chargers recorded their lone run of the game in the bottom of the third inning, when designated hitter Andrew Wadleigh led off the frame with double to center field. The Anchormen were nearly able to escape the jam, but shortstop Jarrett Lowe drove in Wadleigh with a single to center field with two outs to cut the deficit to 3-1.

               Sophomore outfielder Jared Rossi (Johnson, R.I.) and junior center fielder B.J. Doyon (Douglas, Mass.) quickly built the Anchormen advantage back up to three with back-to-back hits to lead off the fourth. Rossi drilled a ground-rule double to straight away centerfield, while Doyon followed suit with a single through the left side for his first RBI of the campaign.  

            Costa paced the Rhode Island College attack with a 2-for-4 showing from the dish with a pair of RBI. Junior right fielder Chris O’Connors (North Kingstown, R.I.) and classmate catcher Jordan Amorin (Swansea, Mass.) each registered a base hit to round out the Anchormen seven-hit attack.  

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