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Providence, R.I.- Senior right-hander David Hoey (Lincoln, RI) allowed just one earned run on eight hits and two walks through six innings, while freshman catcher Matt Foley (Seekonk, MA) belted his second home run of the season to lead Rhode Island College past Keene State, 8-6, in the first game of a Little East Conference doubleheader played at Anchorman Field on Saturday afternoon. |
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Keene State (6-12, 1-1 LEC) bounced back to knock off Rhode Island College (4-14, 1-1 LEC) in the second half of the doubleheader, 6-2. |
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After an RBI double from junior third baseman Nick Vita (Spofford, NH) plated senior first baseman Greg Bates (Salem, NH) and gave KSC a 1-0 lead, the Anchormen countered with an offensive explosion, as RIC stormed out to a 4-1 lead over the Owls in just the bottom of the first inning. |
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The onslaught began with a leadoff double from senior shortstop Zach Hubbard (Kissimmee, FL) and a single from senior center fielder Kevin Carey (Wakefield, RI), before sophomore left fielder Dean Grasso (Cranston, RI) drove in the first run of the frame with an RBI single. Moments later, Foley launched a three-run homer over the left field fence to put the hosts up by three. |
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The Anchormen added three more runs in the bottom of the second to jump ahead of the Owls, 7-1. Carey's RBI single to right field scored senior third baseman Cody Ortega (Kissimmee, FL), while Grasso followed with an RBI triple to right field that scored Carey. Grasso scored later in the inning on an error to put RIC up by six. |
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After back-to-back scoreless innings, Keene State finally managed to cut into the deficit in the top of the fifth. Junior catcher Andrew Gummow (Brookline, MA) came around to score the first run of the frame after Bates was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, while three more runs crossed the plate following a bases-clearing, three-run double to right-center field off the bat of Vita. |
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Leading by two, 7-5, RIC tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth when junior designated hitter Alex Verrecchia (Cranston, RI), who reached on a one-out single earlier in the inning, came around to score on an infield error by the Owls. |
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Keene State managed another run in the top of the eighth thanks to an RBI single from Gummow that scored sophomore left fielder Ian Seawards (Dover, NH) and made it, 8-6. However, the Owls came up empty in the top of the ninth as Rhode Island College closer Chris Mann (West Warwick, RI) shut the door on the visitors to record the save (1). |
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Hoey picked up the win for RIC (1-1), while senior right-hander Chris Crutcher (Londonderry, NH) was tagged with the loss (1-1). Although he surrendered five runs on the day, four of the runs conceded by Hoey were unearned, all of which came in the fifth inning. |
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In the second game of the day, the Owls scored a pair of runs in the second inning to take an early, 2-0, lead over the Anchormen. After Vita opened the frame with a single, and Seawards doubled down the left field line to put runners on first and second, junior center fielder Domingo Cruz (Manchester, NH) ripped a two-run single into center field to plate both runners. |
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Meanwhile, KSC right-hander Spencer Hutchinson (Broad Brook, CT) was brilliant on the mound for the Owls, as he gave up just two singles and a walk through the first five innings to keep RIC off the scoreboard. |
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After Vita scored on an RBI double down the left field line from Cruz to extend Keene State's lead in the top of the sixth, the Owls added two more runs later in the frame to jump ahead, 5-0, courtesy of a two-run single off the bat of freshman right fielder Brett Dootson (Marlborough, CT). |
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The Anchormen answered back with a pair of runs off Hutchinson in the bottom half of the inning to pull within three, 5-2, but it proved to be the only offense the hosts could muster in the nightcap. Foley doubled to left field to drive in Grasso for the first run, while junior first baseman Justin Rainville (Cumberland, RI) followed with an RBI single to right-center field that plated Foley. |
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Keene State freshman right-hander Cody Dube (Windham, ME) entered the game in the seventh inning in relief of Hutchinson and tore through the Anchormen lineup to seal the victory for the Owls and earn his second save of the season. Dube struck out three and was nearly perfect through three innings, with the lone RIC baserunner reaching by way of an error. |
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Hutchinson picked up the win (1-1) for KSC, allowing just two runs on five hits and three walks through six innings, while striking out four. Junior left-hander C.J. Tsoumakas (Hope, RI) suffered the loss (0-4) for RIC after getting tagged for five runs in five innings to go along with four strikeouts. |
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Senior left-hander Kyle Florio (Plantsville, CT) dazzled through three innings of relief for RIC, allowing just one unearned run on two hits and a walk to go along with a strikeout. |
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Grasso went 3-for-8 with two triples, two RBI and three runs scored to pace the Anchormen offensively, while Hubbard finished 3-for-9 with two doubles and a run scored. Verrecchia added a 3-for-8 performance on the day with one run scored, while Foley went 2-for-8 with a double, a home run (2), four RBI and two runs scored. |
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On the other end, the Owls were led by Vita, who went 4-for-10 on the day with two doubles, four RBI and two runs scored. Cruz went 4-for-7 at the dish with a double, three RBI and a run scored, while Gummow finished 3-for-5 with a double, one RBI and a run scored. |
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In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will host Salem State at Anchorman Field on Monday, April 1 (3:30 p.m.) in non-conference action. |