(Game 1 Box) (Game 2 Box)

            PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Freshman designated hitter Greg Palmer (East Greenwich, R.I.) hit a bases loaded walk-off RBI single in game one, while Rhode Island College came from three runs back in the eighth frame of game two, to sweep a Little East Conference doubleheader from Plymouth State University Saturday afternoon at Anchorman Field.

            RIC (15-5, 4-0) wins for the fifth straight time and has won eight of its last nine games. The Panthers (2-16, 0-4) remain winless in league play.  PSU has dropped three straight tough LEC road games by one run, with the opposing team winning in its final at bat in all three cases.

            RIC sophomore Kyle Allaire (Uxbridge, Mass,) went 5-for-10 with two doubles in the two contests. Sophomore J.P. Stone (Narragansett, R.I.) went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, two RBI and a double. Senior reliever Bobby Venditto (Cranston, RI) earned a win and a save.

            Game one was an outstanding pitcher¹s duel between Anchorman senior Paul Vatter (Warwick, R.I.) and PSU sophomore Jonathan Bishop (Woburn, Mass.). Vatter allowed just one run on four hits with five strikeouts in 6.2 innings, while his counterpart allowed two runs (one earned) on nine hits in 8.1 innings.

            The Anchormen took the lead in the sixth as junior Gary Levesque (East Providence, R.I.) doubled down the right field line. Palmer came on to pinch run and remained on second as senior first baseman Tim Schabowski¹s (Pascoag, R.I.) bloop pop up behind second base was dropped. Stone moved the pair to second and third, respectively, with a sacrifice bunt and Palmer came across on junior Andrew Sceeles¹ (Seekonk, Mass.) RBI single to right field.

            The lead was short-lived, as PSU freshman Brendan Cosgrove (Merrimack, N.H.) walked in the top of the seventh and scored when senior Steve Picco (Marshfield, Mass.) doubled to center field with two down. Venditto came on in relief and picked up a key strikeout to get out the jam.

            RIC started the game-winning rally in the ninth with one away. Freshman Kevin Carey (Wakefield, R.I.) singled to right and moved up to third on an Allaire double. Bishop intentionally walked senior Jared Rossi (Johnston, RI) to load the bases and Palmer singled in the game-winner through the draw-in infield.

            Rhode Island College then came back from an 8-2 deficit in the nightcap with four runs in the fifth and another four in the eighth .

            Like in game one, the Anchormen took a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the first, Plymouth State junior starter John Andersch (Concord, N.H.) loaded the bases with one down and issued a walk to Schabowski to plate a run.

            Plymouth State put four across in the second to take a 4-1 lead. Picco and junior catcher Dan Eagan (Norwich, Conn.) smacked RBI doubles, while freshman Rew Wilson (Niantic, Conn.) contributed a sacrifice fly and Cosgrove singled in the frame¹s final score.

            Eagan added an infield RBI single and Wilson picked up an RBI on a ground out in the third inning.  The Panther lead swelled to 8-2 in the fourth as junior Bryant Lausberg (Somersworth, N.H.) blasted his first homer of the year when his drive to right field hit the top of the fence and bounced over for a two-run shot.

            The Anchormen started their comeback in the fifth as a Carey single brought in two, Allaire plated another with an RBI hit and Carey scored on a wild pitch. Andersch was lifted for sophomore Bobby Chatfield (Sharon, Conn.) who kept RIC off the scoreboard for the next two innings.

            PSU added a run in the sixth on a Picco sacrifice fly, but everything unraveled for the visitors in the eighth. Schabowski, Stone and Sceeles contributed RBI singles, while Stone eventually scored on an error.

            Picco went 3-for-5 with three RBI, a run scored and two doubles on the day. Sophomore Mike Cappiello (Westfield, N.J.) went 3-for-5 with three doubles and two runs scored in game two.

            PSU is back on the diamond Monday, visiting Daniel Webster College for a non-league game. Rhode Island College will continue LEC play at UMass Dartmouth on Tuesday. 

 (Courtesy of Rhode Island College Sports Information) 

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