Gorham, Maine—Freshman right fielder Dean Grasso (Cranston, RI) went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored, but fourth-seeded Eastern Connecticut defeated third-seeded Rhode Island College, 6-3, in first round action of the 2012 Little East Conference Baseball Tournament played at the University of Southern Maine Baseball Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

The Anchormen will face sixth-seeded Plymouth State in an elimination game on Thursday (12:30 p.m.) back at USM. In addition to Grasso, junior center fielder Kevin Carey (Wakefield, RI) went 3-for-4 with two RBI, a triple and a run scored, while senior shortstop Kyle Allaire (Uxbridge, MA) went 2-for-4 with a walk. Senior left fielder Brent Hopkins (Cranston, RI) also picked up two base knocks.

Junior pitcher David Hoey (Lincoln, RI) lost for just the second time (6-2) this spring, allowing six runs on 11 hits. He struck out three and walked two. Senior Mike DeWald (Hope Valley, RI) hurled two innings of scoreless relief.

Eastern score twice in the first inning as shortstop Danny O'Connell singled in a run and catcher Steve Cammuso brought in another on an RBI ground out.

In the second, Grasso led off with a single and came across on Carey's RBI single down the left field line to make it a 2-1 ballgame.

In the top of the fourth, the Warriors loaded the bases, plating one on right fielder Steve Bizzaro's sacrifice fly. Hoey was then able to get a double play to limit the damage.

ECSU went up, 6-1, in the fifth on a Cammuso three-run homer. Carey led off the bottom of the frame with a triple and later scored on Hopkins' run producing ground out. The Anchormen mounted a comeback in the sixth, loading the bases with no outs, but an RBI by Carey was all RIC could muster before reliever Matt Purnell slammed the door with a strikeout and a double play.

Eastern starter Tom Darby picked up the win (6-0), allowing three runs on seven hits, to go along with four strikeouts and three walks. Mike Hepple was credited with the save (4).

Cammuso went 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. O'Connell went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.