Baseball
Baseball Sweeps Double-Dip With Dayton
March 29, 2003
KINGSTON, R.I. - A stolen base literally turned things around for the Rhode Island baseball team Saturday in the second game of a doubleheader with Dayton, igniting the Rams to a seven-run third inning on their way to an 11-2 win and sweep of the Flyers.
The victory moves the Rams to 9-13 overall and 4-1 in the Atlantic 10, giving them sole possession of first place in the conference's East Division.
The Rams didn't need a turnaround in the way they were playing, having already won the first game 6-0 and sitting in a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the third inning. That's when freshman Adam Houston (East Greenwich, R.I.) and senior Justin Lamboy (Warwick, R.I.) hit back-to-back singles to give the Rams runners on first and third with out out.
With junior switch-hitter John Maloney (Garden City, N.Y.) batting from the right side, Rhode Island head coach Frank Leoni gave Lamboy the steal sign and the former Warwick Vets (R.I.) star stole second base safely. So with a 1-0 count, Maloney turned around to bat lefty for only the second time this season - the first resulting in a ground-out to leadoff the previous inning.
Maloney crushed the next pitch over the fence in right-center field for a three-run home run to put the Rams up 4-1.
But the Rams were not finished in the third. Freshman Josh Nestor (Nashua, N.H.) singled, freshman catcher DJ Burns (Lynn, Mass.) added a two-out single and freshman second baseman Wayne Russo (Warwick, R.I.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
That brought up junior Dan Batz (Mohnton, Pa.), who finished 4-for-4 with a two-run homer and three RBIs in the first game of the doubleheader and was hit by a pitch in his first at-bat in the night-cap. Batz came through with his fifth consecutive hit, a grand slam homer over the right field fence to give the Rams an 8-1 lead, capping the seven-run third inning.
Sophomore Dan Frederick (Dracut, Mass.) improved to 3-1 on the season with his second complete-game victory of the season, allowing two runs on eight hits and striking out six.
Maloney finished the game 2-for-3 with three RBis and a run scored. Nestor went 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored and freshman Adam Houston (East Greenwich, R.I.) also went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Freshman center fielder DJ Burns (Lynn, Mass.) had two hits and drove in a run for the Rams.
The Rams scored their first run of the game in the second inning, when Dayton starter Tim Miller issued back-to-back one-out walks and Nestor followed with a RBI-single.
Rhode Island added a run in the fourth, when Lamboy and Maloney each singled to put runners on first and second. Lamboy stole third - his fifth of the season in seven attempts - and the throw sailed into left field allowing him to score.
Lamboy hit a sacrifice fly and Nestor added a RBI single in the sixth for the Rams final two runs.
The Rams host Dayton in the final game of the series on Sunday at 11 a.m. at Bill Beck Field.
