University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Bests UMass Baseball, 9-5
May 07, 2011 | Baseball
May 7, 2011
KINGSTON, R.I. - The UMass baseball team rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie the score in the seventh inning. However three runs in the seventh and three in the eighth carried Rhode Island past the Minutemen, 9-5 on Saturday afternoon at Bill Beck Field. Following the loss UMass is now 15-25 on the season, 6-11 in the Atlantic 10, while the Rams improve to 28-17 overall and 14-6 in the conference.
Rhode Island opened the scoring by plating two runs with two away in its first turn at bat. Kenny Burns reached with a bunt single and Tom Coulombe sent a line drive back up the middle, just out of the reach of a diving Eric Fredette for a double. Following a strikeout by Greg Annarummo, Mike LeBel dropped a two-run single into left that drove in Burns and Coulombe
The Rams then added a third run in the bottom of the third as Burns legged out a bunt single and went to third on an error on the same play. Coulombe then picked up the RBI with a sacrifice fly to right.
UMass took the run back in its next trip to the plate. Senior Peter Copa hit a two-out solo homer to center for his 10th of the season, becoming the first Minuteman since Jason Twomley in 2005 to post double digit home runs in a year.
Scoring again the top of the fifth, UMass pulled to within 3-2. Freshman Josh Messier legged out an infield single, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Rich Graef and scored on an error with two outs.
The Minutemen eventually tied things up by manufacturing a run in the top of the seventh. Freshman Dylan Begin led off the inning with a single up the middle. Then freshman Rob McLam, who pinch ran for Begin, moved to third on a single through the right side by Graef and scored on a ground ball by sophomore Anthony Serino.
However, the Rams responded by plating three runs on three hits in the bottom of the seventh. Jeff Cammans drew a leadoff walk and scored on a single to right by Coulombe. Coulombe crossed the plate on a triple to right center by Annarummo, who came in for the team's sixth run of the afternoon on a bunt single by LeBel.
UMass threatened to rally in the top of the eighth. Senior Matt Gedman singled up the middle and junior Tom Conley homered to left to cut the deficit to 6-5. Then with two away, McLam doubled to center, freshman Nik Campero was intentionally waked and junior Alex Fischer reached in an infield single to load the bases. However, Serino hit a ball back up the middle that was snagged by Pat Fortunato and tossed over to LeBel to end the inning.
Coulombe added an insurance run for URI with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth and Annarummo followed by driving in two with a two-out double to right that brought the score to 9-5.
Senior Charlie Benson started for the Minutemen and took the loss (2-3) as he allowed six runs, five earned, on 12 hits with one walk and five strikeouts in 6.2 innings on the mound. Ken Graveline registered the win (6-3) in his start for Rhode Island, working seven innings and surrendering three runs, two earned, while scattering six hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Mike Bradstreet tossed 1.1 scoreless, allowed one hit and fanned one to collect his second save of the season.
Conley was the lone UMass batter to finish with multiple hits on the afternoon as he went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.
Pacing Rhode Island, Coulombe batted 3-fo-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. LeBel went 3-for-5 at the plate with three RBI and Annarummo was 2-for-4 with three RBI and scored once.
The teams will close out their weekend series tomorrow, Sunday, May 8, with a noon contest on Bill Beck Field.
