FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 21, 2008

Rhode Island College Baseball Score Report

Providence, RI

LATE-GAME RALLY COMES UP SHORT AS RIC FALLS TO WHEATON
Anchormen Score 10 Unanswered Runs in Losing Effort

Providence, RI—Rhode Island College tried to come back from a 12-0 deficit, scoring 10 unanswered runs over the final four innings, but fell short, 12-10, to Wheaton in collegiate baseball action Friday afternoon at Anchorman Field. Both clubs are now 7-4 on the season.

Both teams played scoreless ball for the first two innings before the Lyons put four runs on the board in the third frame. Junior shortstop Nick Pecora (Highland Park, NJ) and sophomore left fielder Paul Malaguti (Andover, MA) laced back-to-back RBI triples, and were followed by sophomore catcher Jeff Lieneck’s (Foxboro, MA) RBI double, as part of the outburst, which chased RIC junior starting pitcher Bruce Celico (Westerly, RI) from the game.

Wheaton tacked on a run in both the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, before erupting for six more in the top half of the sixth. With one out and runners on second and third, a costly error opened the floodgates for Wheaton, which plated the first two runs. Senior third baseman Scott Guillerault (Malden, MA) and sophomore designated hitter Sean Munley (Trenton, NJ) contributed RBI doubles in the frame. RIC junior reliever Bobby Fournier (Dartmouth, MA) and freshman Gary Levesque (East Providence, RI) were tagged for seven runs, only two of which were earned, on nine hits through the ninth inning.

Wheaton sophomore starting pitcher Nick Kostaras (North Attleboro, MA) hurled six innings, allowing just one run on four hits, before giving way to the bullpen.

RIC got the ball rolling in the bottom half of the sixth on a junior right fielder Chris O’Connors’ (North Kingstown, RI) RBI single.

The Anchormen plated six additional runs in the home half of the seventh. Junior shortstop Josh Cardoso (Dartmouth, MA) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to get the rally started. O’Connors notched another RBI single, while senior first baseman Jim Connell (Smithfield, RI) chipped in with a sacrifice fly and junior pinch hitter Bryan Colombero (Skillman, NJ) plated another base runner with an RBI double.

The Anchormen scored an additional run in the bottom of the eighth, and Levesque and senior reliever Evan Grogan (East Lyme, CT) threw a scoreless ninth.

RIC went into its final at-bat, trailing, 12-8. Junior center fielder B.J. Doyon (Douglas, MA) led off with a double and scored on freshman catcher Franklin Salcedo’s (Providence, RI) single. With one-out, Cardoso plated Salcedo with a RBI-ground out, before Wheaton junior Josh Simmons (Cranston, RI) got O’Connors to ground out with one runner on to end the game.

Cardoso and O’Connors, who both went 2-for-5 with two RBI, while Doyon also posted two knocks and an RBI, to lead RIC offensively.

Four Lyons notched multiple hits, led by Guillerault’s 3-for-5, three-run, two-RBI performance. Kostaras earned his first win (1-0) of the season and Simmons picked up his first save.

Celico (2-1) took the loss for RIC.

In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will host Coast Guard on Tuesday, Mar. 25 at 3:30 p.m.

-Complete box score to follow-