URI Rams Advance to A-10 Title Game

May 27, 2016 5:41 pm

URI news release…

On the heels of yesterday’s 10-1 win over Fordham, the Rhode Island bats remained hot as the Rams eased past Davidson, 13-4, in Friday’s semifinal matchup at the Atlantic 10 Championship. The victory sends URI to the A-10 title game for the second year in a row.

The Rams will face either Davidson, Saint Joseph’s or VCU – whichever team advances out of this evenings two elimination games.

Rhody wasted no time getting on the board in the win over the Wildcats as Martin Figueroa launched his second home run of the tournament – a solo shot to straight away centerfield – in the top of the first.

The Rams then erupted for seven runs in the top of the third to move ahead 8-0. Laurence Hill got things started with a leadoff walk, before a double by Chris Hess and a walk to Figueroa loaded the bases for Ryan Olmo. Olmo then lined a two-run single into centerfield to put Rhody up 3-0. Connor Foreman followed with a three-run homer and, after a two-out single by Chase Livingston, Mike Corin went yard for the second time in as many days to give Rhody an 8-0 lead.

Another RBI single by Olmo pushed across Figueroa in the top of the fourth, extending the Rhody advantage to 9-0.

Davidson (27-25) got its only runs of the game in the bottom of the fifth, on a grand slam by Brian Fortier.

After that, however, the Rams added four more. Brett McManus scored in the seventh – on an RBI single by Corin – before looping a sacrifice fly into right to score Powell in the eighth. Hill then sent his first career home run out of the park in the top of the ninth – a two-run blast that scored Livingston and sealed the 13-4 win.

Inside the Box Score

With 10 runs in yesterday’s win over Fordham and 13 today against Davidson, the Rams have scored double-digit runs in consecutive games for the first time this season.
Each of Rhode Island’s started reached base in the victory, with six different players turning in multi-hit games.
The Rams also hit a season-high four home runs in the win – one each by junior Martin Figueroa, senior Connor Foreman, redshirt junior Mike Corin and redshirt freshman Laurence Hill.
Figueroa was also walked twice and scored three runs for the Rams.
Foreman went 2-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored. His first at-bat of the game was a pinch-hit single while his second was a three-run bomb. Foreman is now 2-for-2 in pinch-hit at-bats at the A-10 Championship.
Corin also finished the day 2-for-5 while driving in three runs and scoring one of his own.
Hill – whose homer was the first of his career – was 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and two RBI.
Redshirt sophomore Chris Hess singled, doubled, walked and scored a run while senior Ryan Olmo went 2-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored.
Olmo also made a diving catch in right field to end the bottom of the third inning with Wildcats on second and third.
Sophomore Jordan Powell had a pair of hits – including a double – and recorded the lone stolen base of the game.
Freshman Brett McManus was walked, drove in a run on a sac-fly and scored once.
Senior Chase Livingston played his usual outstanding defense behind the plate, recording a big 2-5 putout on a second-inning wild pitch. At the plate, he was 1-for-3 with a pair of walks and two runs scored.
Senior Steve Moyers earned the win for the Rams, tossing seven innings and only allowing runs on one play – a two out homer in the fifth. Overall, he fanned five while allowing six hits and dour walks.
Moyers also initiated a 1-3-6-3-4 pickoff play for the second out in the bottom of the seventh.
Freshman Mark Silvestri replaced Moyers in the eighth and tossed a scoreless frame with two strikeouts before senior Brad Applin closed things out with a scoreless ninth.

Up Next
Rhode Island advances to the A-10 championship game for the second time in as many seasons. First pitch between the Rams and their opponent (still TBD) is scheduled for noon, at Fordham’s Houlihan Park in Bronx, N.Y.