Top Seeded Rhode Island Uses Long Ball To Defeat Dayton

May 26, 2005

DAYTON, OH - Senior rightfielder Matt Sullivan's two-run homer off Dayton starter Luke Trubee in the bottom of the fourth snapped a 3-3 tie and teammate Dan Frederick pitched effectively into the seventh inning as top-seeded Rhode Island defeated UD, 7-4, on a picture-perfect afternoon at Fifth Third Field in the 2005 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship.

Vying for their first-ever Atlantic 10 title, the Rams (32-19) will face the winner of George Washington/Richmond on Friday at 12:00 p.m.

Sullivan's two-out homer to left was his 13th of the year, a new URI single-season record, eclipsing the previous record of 12 set by 2004 A-10 Player of the Year Dan Batz.

"Our goal was to get the first win because it's tough to win the title going through the loser's bracket," said Sullivan, a first-team All-Conference selection.

"I don't consider myself a home run hitter, it kind of just happens."

Dayton jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI double by junior Galen Schumm and a two-out, run-scoring single by leftfielder Bryan Chandler. UD added a run in the third off Frederick on Chandler's second RBI single of the game before Rhode Island answered back in the bottom half of the third. The Rams collected four hits and tied the game on junior Wayne Russo's two-out hit to right, which scored Ryan Cunningham.

After Sullivan's record-setting blast in the fourth, catcher Josh Nestor added a two-run shot in the eighth to round out the scoring. With runners at the corners and two out in the ninth, URI senior Mick Lefort got third baseman Joe McSoley to fly out to center to seal the win and notch his eighth save of the year. Frederick allowed three runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings to improve to 5-5 on the season.

"He's a senior, a warrior, and he has been in this situation many times for us," said Rhode Island head coach Frank Leoni. "He didn't have his best stuff and he willed himself through and that's what we have come to expect from Dan."

Chandler finished 3-for-4 with three RBI while shortstop Michael Massa and senior Brandon Godzik each collected three hits apiece. Trubee, a junior righthander from Xenia, OH, went the distance for the ninth time this season, yielding seven runs on 12 hits while fanning two.

For complete coverage of the 2005 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship, log on to www.atlantic10.org.