Bridgewater, Mass.—Sophomore right fielder Edward Apice (North Kingstown, RI) and junior pitcher Jake Murray (Middletown, RI) helped lead Rhode Island College to a doubleheader split at Bridgewater State on Saturday afternoon.

The Bears (6-5) won game one, 5-2, before the Anchormen (6-7-1) responded behind a strong effort from Murray to take the nightcap, 5-0.

Apice went 2-for-6 with two runs scored, a homer and an RBI on the day. Murray hurled a complete game shutout in the second contest, allowing just three hits, striking out four and not issuing a walk in the win.

In game one, BSU's David Holmes (North Easton, MA) worked the first six innings, giving up two runs on just three hits, to pick up the win on the hill for Bridgewater State. Holmes (2-0) walked two and fanned one as he threw 87 pitches. Connor Birch (Bellingham, MA) pitched a scoreless seventh inning, working around a pair of walks, to record his second save of the season.

Senior Dylan Pingitore (Johnston, RI) suffered the loss on the mound for the Anchormen in the complete game effort. Pingitore (1-2) allowed five runs, only one of which was earned, on three hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

The Bears capitalized on two errors and a pair of wild pitches to push across all five of their runs (all coming with two outs) in the bottom of the third inning.  With one away, Scott O'Brien (East Bridgewater, MA) singled and moved to second on a strikeout/wild pitch. After and infield single by Ryan Feeney (East Bridgewater, MA) put runners on the corners, O'Brien raced home on a wild pitch to give the Bears a 1-0 lead. Feeney came around to score one batter later when Travis Ritchie (Taunton, MA) reached on a dropped fly ball. Following a walk to Brandon Hoyle (Bridgewater, MA), Reed Pike (Bellingham, MA) ripped a base hit up the middle to plate Ritchie with the third run of the frame. Hoyle and Pike would both score when Anthony Licciardello (Haverhill, MA) reached on a throwing error.

The Anchormen scored their only two runs of the game in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI single by junior left fielder Austin Barry (North Kingstown, RI) and a solo home run by Apice. RIC could have done more damage in the frame but had two runners picked off first base. Barry went 2-for-3 at the plate in game one as he was the only player with multiple hits.

In game two, Murray needed just 84 pitches to pick up the win. RIC broke a scoreless tie with a run in the top of the third inning. Junior third baseman Scott Linnane (North Kingstown, RI) reached on an infield single with one out, moved to second on a ground out and scored on an RBI single by sophomore center fielder Brad Douglas (Wakefield, RI).

The Anchormen tacked on a pair of unearned runs in the sixth to extend the lead to 3-0. Douglas reached on an error to open the frame, moved to second on a ground out, third on a fly out and scored on a passed ball. A single by Apice and a walk to junior catcher Tyler Rains (North Kingstown, RI) kept the inning going. Sophomore first baseman Frank Pettinato (Cranston, RI) followed with a base hit up the middle, but Rains was gunned down attempting to go to third. Apice scored a controversial run on the play as the home plate umpire ruled that the runner crossed the plate before the out was recorded at third.

RIC made it a 5-0 game in the seventh as senior shortstop Gian Abbruzzese (North Providence, RI) walked and Linnane singled to open the inning. Abbruzzese then advanced to third on a fielder's choice ground out and scored on a wild pitch. After an out, junior third baseman TJ Lynch (South Kingstown, RI) smacked an RBI double to the gap in left-center field to give the Anchormen the 5-0 lead.

Linnane paced the RIC offense in game two as he went 3-for-3 with a stolen base.

Shane Surette (Haverhill, MA) suffered the loss on the mound for the Bears despite pitching well. Surette (2-1) gave up three runs (one earned) on five hits over six innings of work. He walked two and fanned three.

In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will play a doubleheader at home against Suffolk on Saturday, March 26 (noon).