Baseball Falls At Rhode Island College, 14-3

PROVIDENCE, RI, April 23, 2009 - Elms College sophomore shortstop Jonathan Ortiz (Carolina, Puerto Rico) hammered his team-leading fifth home run of the year - a two-run shot - but Rhode Island College plated 13 runs in the first four innings en route to a 14-3 win over the visiting Blazers at Anchorman Field on Thursday afternoon.

RIC raises its win streak to five games and its overall mark to 22-10. Elms College, which lost to the Anchormen for the third time this season, fell to 13-15 on the season.

The hosts took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as junior right fielder Jared Rossi (Johnston, RI) led off with a double and came home on senior center fielder B.J. Doyon's (Uxbridge, MA) follow-up two-bagger.

The Anchormen busted the game open with a seven-run second frame. Senior second baseman Bryan Colombero (Skillman, NJ) tripled and came home on classmate third baseman Jeff Costa's (Pawtucket, RI) RBI triple. RIC proceeded to load the bases as sophomore catcher Justin Corso (Cranston, RI) was hit by a pitch and Rossi followed with a walk. With one down, sophomore designated hitter Gary Levesque (East Providence, RI) belted a bases clearing, opposite field triple to right field. Junior first baseman Tim Schabowski (Pascoag, RI) followed with his second homer of the year.

Rossi blasted his team-leading 10^th bomb of the year as part of a two run third. The Anchormen added three in the fourth as Costa, Corso and Doyon each contributed RBI singles.

RIC freshman starter Mike DeWald (Hope Valley, RI), who retired 13 batters in a row at one point, held the Blazers to just one hit through the first five innings. Elms got on the board in the sixth as freshman catcher Sean Shanley (Bristol, CT) knocked in one with a double and later came home on Ortiz's rocket homer off the right field scoreboard.

DeWald earned the win (3-0), allowing three runs on four hits, while recording six strikeouts, in six innings of work. Freshmen relievers Eric Blanchard (Warwick, RI) and Kyle Dumont (Pawtucket, RI) combined to throw three innings of shutout ball, allowing just one hit.

Costa went 3-for-3, was hit by a pitch, scored three runs and knocked in two. Colombero went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, while Doyon was 3-for-6 with a pair of RBI.

Ortiz was the lone Blazer to pick up multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.