Rhode Island College Baseball Sweeps Newbury

Providence, RI-Senior center fielder Jared Rossi (Johnston, RI) and junior catcher Justin Corso (Cranston, RI) each belted decisive home runs as the Rhode Island College baseball team swept a doubleheader from Newbury at Anchorman Field on Sunday afternoon.

Rossi ended game one in dramatic fashion, belting the first pitch he saw over the left field fence with two aboard for the walk-off three-run homer (1), which gave RIC a 6-3 win. Corso smacked his first bomb (1) of the year to give the Anchormen some insurance in a 9-0 victory in the nightcap. RIC senior starter Paul Vatter (Warwick, RI) was masterful in game two, allowing just two hits and striking out six, in a complete game effort (2-0).
The Anchormen, who win for the fourth time in five games, raise their record to 8-3, while the Nighthawks drop to 1-11.     In game one, Newbury took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning as sophomore left fielder Mike Dean (Wethersfield, CT) reached on an error, went to third on freshman center fielder Kyle Schiavone’s (Wethersfield, CT) double and scored on sophomore third baseman Joseph Guidi’s (Derry, NH) sacrifice fly.       The deficit was short-lived for the hosts as they quickly tied the game up, 1-1, in the bottom of the second. Junior third baseman Gary Levesque (East Providence, RI) advanced all the way to second base when his high fly ball to left field was dropped. Senior designated hitter Tim Schabowski (Pascoag, RI) singled to put runners on the corners. Junior second baseman Andrew Sceeles (Seekonk, MA) brought in Levesque on an RBI fielder’s choice.       RIC took a two-run lead in the fourth as sophomore catcher Joe Stutts (Manchester, CT) plated two with a two-out, RBI single to left center field.       The Nighthawks got one run back in the fifth, putting runners on second and third to start the frame. Freshman second baseman Josh Caswell (Griswold, CT) brought in freshman right fielder Matt Clawson (Tolland, CT), who had led off with a walk, on an RBI groundout.       With RIC junior Matt Thadeio (West Greenwich, RI) on in relief in the top of the seventh, the Nighthawks quickly went down to their last out on back-to-back strikeouts. Freshman pinch hitter Justin MacCutcheon (Woburn, MA) smacked a single to right field and was lifted for senior pinch runner Hayato Iwahori (Tokyo, Japan). Iwahori promptly stole second and came home on freshman shortstop Russ DeMatties’ (Hamden, CT) RBI single.       Rossi then ended the game with his blast in the bottom of the inning.       Thadeio earned the win (1-0). Sophomore starter Andy McKeon (Johnston, RI) went 4.2 innings, allowing two runs, one of which was earned, on three hits to go along with five strikeouts.       Newbury freshman Zach Griesche (Niskayuna, NY) took the loss (0-4), going the distance, surrendering six runs on eight hits, while striking out six.       In game two, RIC once again struck first by pushing across a run in the bottom of the second. The Anchormen loaded the bases as Levesque was hit by a pitch, Schabowski singled as his drive to second took a hop over Newbury sophomore second baseman Curran Shane (Bedford, NH) and junior left fielder Ronnie Bracchi (Wappinger Falls, NY) walked.       NC freshman starter Christopher Ninteau (Lisbon, CT) got Sceeles to bounce into a 4-6-3 double play, but Levesque trotted home on the outs. Ninteau was able to strike out Corso on a 3-2 pitch to get out the jam with only the one run scored.       Newbury threatened in the top of the fifth, putting runners on first and second with only one out, but Vatter got sophomore first baseman Alex Chetelat (Farmington, CT) to ground into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play to get out of the jam.       The Anchormen added to their lead in the home half of the frame as Bracchi walked for the second time and Corso did the damage with a two-run shot over the left center field fence. RIC broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth, sending 11 hitters to the plate and tagging Newbury sophomore reliever Steven Saia (Avon, MA) for six runs. Sophomore shortstop Kyle Allaire (Uxbridge, MA) singled and stole second. Rossi singled to move up Alliare and promptly stole second. Levesque drilled a two-run single to right center field to plate both baserunners. Schabowski followed by taking a 1-1 offering and sent it over the right field fence for his second home run (2) of the year. Sophomore third baseman John Stone (Narragansett, RI) and Allaire also chipped in with RBI singles to end the frame.       Ninteau took the loss (0-4), allowing three runs on two hits, while striking out three, in five innings.       In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will travel to Bridgewater State tomorrow afternoon for a 3 p.m. game.