Baseball
Baseball Falls 3-2; Settles For Split Of Doubleheader
March 27, 2004
KINGSTON, R.I. - The University of Rhode Island baseball team settled for a split of a doubleheader with Duquesne on Saturday, dropping the second game 3-2 at Bill Beck Field. The Rams won the first game 7-4, and the teams play the series finale Sunday at noon.
Duquesne starter Scott Chisholm had a three-hit shutout going into the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Rams (7-11-1, 1-1 Atlantic 10) pushed across two runs to bring the tying run to the plate with one out.
Pinch-hitter Adam Houston (East Greenwich, R.I.) drew a one-out walk and sophomore Josh Nestor (Nashua, N.H.) followed with a pinch-hit double, plating Houston and when the relay throw went to the backstop, Nestor advanced to third. Nestor scored on a wild pitch to cut the gap to 3-2 with one out, but Chisholm retired the next two batters on a strike out and groundout to end the game.
The Rams were held in check by Chisholm, who retired 11 in a row until walking Houston in the seventh. Chisholm improved to 2-3 on the season, pitching a complete-game four-hitter. He struck out seven and allowed two runs, only one of which was earned.
Freshman Jim Norcott (Norton, Mass.) took the loss, allowing three runs, only two earned, and four hits in 4 1/3 innings. Norcott hit two batters, both of which came around to score the Dukes first and second run of the game.
Senior Dan Batz (Mohnton, Pa.) went 2-for-3 to finish the day 3-for-6 with a RBI and three runs scored. Batz is hitting a team-high .500 on the season through 19 games.
Freshman Ryan Cunningham (Centerville, Va.) went 1-for-2 with and Nestor went 1-for-1 with a RBI double.
The Dukes (7-10, 1-1 Atlantic 10) scored their first two runs of the game taking advantage of two hits batsmen.
In the second inning Mike Duganich was hit by a pitch and scored on a RBI-double by Luke Taggart. The Dukes made it 2-0 when Dan Schwartzbauer was hit by a pitch and scored on a RBI double by Pete Maropis.
Duquesne added another run in the fifth when Schwartzbauer hit an infield single, stole second, went to third on a passed ball and scored on a bloop single to center by Maropis.
