BOX
SCORE
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Junior right fielder Jared Rossi (Johnston,
RI) knocked in sophomore catcher Justin Corso (Cranston, RI) with a
triple to center field as part of a six-run eighth inning to lead
Rhode Island College past Babson, 15-11, in collegiate baseball
action at Anchorman Field on Wednesday
afternoon.
It was a nightmare for both squads' pitching staffs as the two
clubs combined for 26 runs on 39 hits, which included six home
runs, seven doubles and a triple. Rossi was a single shy of the
cycle, coming to bat a second time in the eighth with two aboard,
but was hit by a pitch. He finished the day going 3-for-5 with four
RBI and two runs scored.
The Anchormen were able to get runs across in each of the first
four innings. Sophomore first baseman Gary Levesque (East
Providence, RI) smacked a two-out homer (10) to left field in the
bottom of the first. The Beavers came right back with the equalizer
in the second as senior left fielder Bryan Evans (Bellaire,
TX) hit a solo shot (2). Junior third baseman Jake
Bartlett (Weymouth, MA) added an RBI single and sophomore
shortstop Corey Highfield (East Hampstead, NH)
made it a 3-1 game with a sacrifice fly.
RIC was up to the task in the home half of the inning, scoring
three times to go on top, 4-3. Freshman shortstop Kyle Allaire
(Uxbridge, MA) hit a sacrifice fly and Rossi doubled in a pair. The
hosts raised their advantage to three runs, 6-3, on senior third
baseman Josh Cardoso¹s (Dartmouth, MA) two-run blast (3) in
the third.
Babson sophomore second baseman Billy Besinger (Milton,
MA), senior designated hitter Jeff Wojnar
(Bellaire, TX) and Evans contributed RBI-singles to even
the contest, 6-6, in the fourth.
Once again the Anchormen re-took the lead in the bottom of the
frame as Rossi bashed his team-leading 11th homer of the season and
senior third baseman Jeff Costa (Pawtucket, RI) scored on an
error.
The visitors battled back to tie the game, 8-8, with a pair of runs
in the fifth, chasing RIC freshman starter Mike DeWald (Hope
Valley, RI). Junior center fielder Peter O'Toole (Salem,
MA) singled up the middle with two down and two
aboard.
Both teams scored a run in the seventh as junior Chris Wood
(Medford, Mass.) launched his first collegiate home run
(1) for the Beavers and Allaire tied the game, 9-9, with an RBI
single.
Levesque moved from first base to the mound, taking over for
freshman reliever Andrew McKeon (Johnston, RI), and hurled a
scoreless eighth.
Corso led off the bottom of the eighth and doubled to center field
off of Babson freshman reliever Jeff Buress (Cumberland,
RI), setting the stage for Rossi¹s go-ahead hit. Five
more runs would come across, led by Levesque¹s RBI single and
a two-run double, which proved to be the game winning hit, by
junior first baseman Tim Schabowski (Pascoag, RI).
O'Toole belted a two-run homer (4) in the ninth, but Babson would
not get any closer. Levesque earned the win (3-3), while Buress
took the loss (0-1).
Levesque also went 4-for-5 from the dish with three runs scored,
while Cardoso was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI.
O'Toole went 4-for-6 with four RBI and two runs scored for the
Beavers. The homer in the ninth was his fourth of the year and
third in as many games. Evans went 4-for-5 with two RBI and a run
scored, while Bartlett finished 5-for-5 with one run scored and one
driven in.
NOTE: Taken from a Rhode Island College press release.
