Fitchburg State Falls To Rhode Island, 11-8

Falcons suffer first setback of 2009 season

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (March 8, 2009) - Sophomore John Phelan (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) registered two hits and two RBI as Fitchburg State suffered an 11-8 setback to Little East rival, Rhode Island College in non-conference action this afternoon.

JOHN PHELAN

Phelan paced the Falcons offensive front with a 2-for-4 day, including a triple, two runs scored and two RBI, while sophomore Chris Smart (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) connected for a single, double, one run scored and two RBI. Senior Andy Sauer (Willington, Conn./E.O. Smith) added two base-hits with two runs and one RBI, while classmate Kris Breen (Griswold, Conn./Griswold) blasted a two-run homerun.

Senior Jordan Amorin (Swansea, Mass./Case) led the Rhode Island attack with a 2-for-4 performance, including two doubles, two runs scored and one RBI, while junior Tim Schabowski (Pascoag, R.I./Burrillville) notched two base-hits and three runs scored. Sophomore Gary Levesque (East Providence, R.I./East Providence) chipped in with two hits, two runs and one RBI.

It was a back-and-forth affair throughout the first three innings of the contest with Rhode Island jumping out to an 8-6 lead. Junior Jared Rossi (Johnston, R.I./NE Christian Academy)  led the Anchormen rally with a single, two runs and two RBI, while Breen (HR), Smart (2B, 1B) and Phelan (3B) paced the Falcons with five RBI combined.

Rhode Island tacked on a pair of runs in the bottom half of the fifth to take a 10-6 lead. The Anchormen took advantage of two Falcon errors, while receiving an RBI double from Amorin and a RBI groundball from sophomore Ryan DePasquale (East Greenwich, R.I./East Greenwich).  

CHRIS SMART

Trailing by five (11-6) heading into the final frame, the Falcons continued to battle, plating two runs on a pair of hits by senior Aaron Granahan (Thomaston, Conn./Thomaston) and Sauer. Fitchburg State loaded the bases with two down in the ninth, but junior reliever Eric Gelsomino (Johnston, R.I./Johnston) closed the door for the Anchormen with a deep fly-ball out to earn the save.

Rhode Island starter Paul Vatter (Warwick, R.I./Pilgrim) earned a no decision over five innings of work, while junior Michael Boucher (Woonsocket, R.I./Woonsocket) picked up the victory with three innings of shutout relief. Freshman Michal Mercier (Townsend, Mass./Saint Bernards) suffered the loss for the Falcons, allowing five runs (two earned) in three innings of relief.

Fitchburg State (2-1, 0-0 MASCAC) will hit the field again tomorrow as it battles Gordon College at 9:30 a.m. Rhode Island (3-0, 0-0 LEC) will face Elms College tomorrow in a doubleheader starting at 1:15.

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