Gorham, Maine--Freshman center fielder Josh Silva (Seekonk, MA) went 4-for-5 with a run scored, but it wouldn't be enough as the fifth-seeded Rhode Island College baseball team suffered a 5-4 (12 innings) setback against second-seeded UMass Boston in the opening round of the 2017 Little East Conference Baseball Championship played at Ed Flaherty Field on Wednesday afternoon.

The Anchormen will play an elimination game against top-seed and tournament host Southern Maine tomorrow morning (9:30 a.m.).

RIC (17-18) junior first baseman Frank Pettinato (Cranston, RI) went 2-for-5 with two RBI, while senior pitcher PJ Watson (Cheshire, CT) took a no-hitter into the seventh inning for the Anchormen.

UMass Boston (30-9) junior first baseman Chris Fowler (Barnstable, MA) drove in the winning run with a single in the bottom of the 12^th. Sophomore right fielder Nick Herzog (Riverhead, NY) went 1-for-4 with a pair of runs scored in the win for the Beacons.

UMass Boston got on the board first in the bottom of the second with a pair of runs, highlighted by an RBI groundout from junior center fielder Sal Frosceno (Derby, CT). RIC was held scoreless until the top of the sixth when an RBI double from Pettinato cut the lead down to a run, 2-1. The Anchormen knotted the game in the top of the eighth when Silva, who led off the inning with a single, scored on a passed ball. The Anchormen then grabbed the 3-2 lead on an RBI single from Pettinato. The Beacons responded in the bottom of the eighth and tied the game, 3-3, on an RBI single from freshman pinch hitter Ryan McCormick (Cumberland, RI).

The Beacons nearly won the game in the bottom of the ninth, but Silva gunned down Frosceno at the plate to preserve the deadlock.

The two teams then battled through three scoreless innings with both sides having solid scoring chances. In the bottom of the 12^th, sophomore third baseman Kyle Boudrais (Medford, MA) led off with a walk and later scored the game-winning run on Fowler's single through the right side to give UMass Boston the 4-3 victory.

Sophomore pitcher Mike Webb (Pawtucket, RI) suffered the loss (2-3) in relief for RIC, giving up one run of five hits in 3.1 solid innings of work. Watson allowed three runs on three hits to go along with three strikeouts in eight innings.

Sophomore pitcher Bobby Tramandozzi (Peabody, MA) picked up the win (3-1)  in relief for UMass Boston, throwing 4.2 innings of scoreless relief.