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Mansfield, Conn.--Rhode Island College senior left-hander C.J. Tsoumakas (Hope, RI) and junior right-hander Kyle Morvan (Smithfield, RI) each hurled complete games and combined to limit the Eastern Connecticut State University baseball team to just 12 hits, as the Anchormen split a Little East Conference doubleheader with the Warriors on Saturday afternoon at Eastern Stadium. |
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RIC (11-15, 4-5 LEC) upended the Warriors, 4-1, in the opening contest, before falling to Eastern Connecticut (19-6, 7-2 LEC) in the nightcap, 1-0. The Anchormen currently hold fifth place in the Little East Conference standings, while the Warriors remain locked into second place. |
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The visitors never went to their bullpen on Saturday, as Tsoumakas and Morvan combined to throw all 17 innings in the doubleheader. Tsoumakas (4-3) became the first pitcher to fire a complete game against Eastern this season. The southpaw struck out five in the opening tilt and scattered just one run on seven hits and three walks. |
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Meanwhile, Morvan (4-2) limited Eastern to one unearned run on five singles in the nightcap, but was saddled with the loss despite striking out nine and walking two in his second consecutive complete game effort. |
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The Anchormen grabbed an early, 3-0, lead in game one behind a strong first inning at the dish. After senior center fielder Justin Costa (Cranston, RI) led off the frame with a single, junior second baseman Dean Beshansky (Cumberland, RI) drew a walk. Following a single from sophomore right fielder Matt Foley (Seekonk, MA) that loaded the bases, Costa came around to score on a wild pitch. RIC quickly tacked on two more runs in the stanza thanks to an RBI ground out from sophomore designated hitter Angelo St. Laurent (Cranston, RI) and a sacrifice fly from senior first baseman Justin Rainville (Cumberland, RI). |
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Sophomore catcher Matt Billington (Cumberland, RI) came around to score the fourth run of the game for the visitors in the top of the fourth inning after he was driven home on Costa's single to right field. |
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Costa keyed the Anchormen at the plate in game one with a 4-for-5 performance that included a double, one RBI and one run scored, while Foley chipped in with a pair of hits. |
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The Warriors scratched their only run of the game in the bottom of the ninth inning to keep Tsoumakas from the shutout. |
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Eastern senior right-hander Greg Porter (Mystic, CT) allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits and fanned seven batters in eight innings for the hosts, but sustained his second loss of the season (5-2) despite the solid effort. |
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In game two, sophomore righty Patrick O'Neill (Thomaston, CT) tossed his first complete game of the season to lead the Warriors to the one-run victory. In his fourth career start, O'Neill (3-0) held Rhode Island College to just five hits and walked just two batters, while striking out five. |
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The lone run of the game came in the bottom of the third following four consecutive singles from sophomore catcher Tim Budd (Cheshire, CT), junior center fielder hitter Joe Perez (North Branford, CT), senior shortstop Brendan Lynch (Wethersfield, CT), and junior second baseman Corey Keane (Tolland, CT). After Budd was picked off following his leadoff single, Perez singled up the middle and scored after Lynch's infield single to third base was thrown away. |
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In upcoming action, Rhode Island College hosts Springfield College in a non-conference contest on Monday, April 21 (3:30 p.m.) at Anchorman Field. |