Keene, N.H.-Senior catcher J.P. Stone (Narragansett, RI) went 3-for-5 and junior third baseman Cody Ortega (Kissimmee, FL) knocked in three runs, but the Rhode Island College baseball team lost both games in a doubleheader played at Keene State on Saturday afternoon. Both teams combined for 60 hits and the victories propelled the Owls into sole possession of first place in the Little East Conference.

The Owls, (22-7, 6-1 LEC) who have won 14-of-their-last-16 games, put up six runs in the bottom half of the eighth in both contests to runaway with twin-bill sweep.

With a 7-5 lead heading into the eighth in game one, senior designated-hitter Peter Burgio (Bolton, CT) gave the Owls some more cushion, cracking a three-run homer to left field.

The very next batter, senior first-baseman Larry Longo (Londonderry, NH), delivered a round-tripper to dead center field, to go back-to-back and give KSC the 13-5 win.

Senior starter Tim Thiesing (South Grafton, MA) went 5.2 innings and allowed four earned runs and six hits to improve to 3-0 on the year.

RIC sophomore starter C.J. Tsoumakas (Hope, RI) went 5.1 innings, allowing 13 hits and seven runs with four strikeouts to drop to 2-4 on the season.

In game two, the Owls trailed 8-7 in the bottom of the eighth, Burgio evened the game at eight apiece, with an RBI single to left center, scoring Kyle Morrill (Auburn, NH). In his first plate appearance of the second game after coming in as a defensive replacement, the Anchormen decided to intentionally walk Longo to get to sophomore catcher Matt Boulay (Stafford Springs, CT). After falling behind 0-2 in the count, Boulay delivered with a clutch two-RBI single through the right-side of the infield to give KSC the 10-8 lead.

Later in the inning, freshman shortstop Tanner Chase (York, ME) ripped his fifth hit of the afternoon, a two-RBI double to right center to give the Owls more run production.

Earlier in game two, RIC put up eight runs, with three coming in the top of the fourth and fifth innings. Ortega and Stone each had RBI hits in the fourth and fifth innings to stake the Anchormen out to a 8-7 lead.

The KSC bullpen would take it from there, as sophomore Shawn Egan (E. Hartford, CT) and junior Tim Quagliaroli (Windsor Locks, CT) combined for 4.1 innings of shutout ball, scattering three hits, as Quagliaroli improved to 3-1 on the year in KSC's 13-8 victory.

Freshman Dylan Cummiskey (Warwick, RI) allowed seven runs on 10 hits in 4.1 innings for RIC, while reliever David Hoey (Lincoln, RI) pitched three innings and allowed six earned on eight hits and took the loss.

In upcoming action, RIC will compete at the Silfen Invitational, hosted by Connecticut College on Saturday, April 21 (10 a.m.).

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