URI Rams Fall in NCAA Regional, Face Elimination Game on Sunday

June 4, 2016 11:40 pm

URI news release…

Rhode Island could not keep up with the powerful UNCW offense, falling 11-7 at the NCAA Regional Saturday night in Columbia, S.C.

Rhode Island (31-26) went toe-to-toe with one of the nation’s best lineups for four innings, but the Seahawks (41-17) eventually pulled away, handing the Rams their first loss of the regional.

UNCW scored twice in the top of the first inning. Steven Linkous singled the first pitch of the game through the left side for a leadoff single. Brian Mims followed with a triple off the top of the wall in right field to give UNCW a quick 1-0 lead just three pitches into the game. A sacrifice fly by Nick Feight drove in Mims with the second run of the inning.

Rhody responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. Martin Figueroa got things started with an opposite field solo shot to left field that cut the lead in half. Jordan Powell followed with a single, Ryan Olmo reached on an error and Brett McManus blooped a single to left center to load the bases with one out. Connor Foreman brought in Powell with a long sacrifice fly to the wall in right field, tying the score at 2-2.

With one out in the bottom of the second, Zack Canada looped a single down the right field line and Robbie Thorburn lined a single to center to put runners on the corners for Kennard McDowell, who launched a home run to center to make it 5-2.

The Rams again responded right away, putting together a two-out, two-run rally. Chris Hess singled and Figueroa drilled an opposite-field double to put both men in scoring position. Powell lined a single to center to score both runners and pull the Rams within 5-4 and knock UNCW starter Alex Royalty out of the game.

Rhode Island took its first lead in the bottom of the third. With Foreman on first and two outs, Mike Corin hit a home run deep to left that put the Rams ahead, 6-5.

UNCW tied it back up in the top of the fourth when Thorburn led the inning off with a home run to right. The Seahawks reclaimed the lead in the top of the fifth, scoring four runs to move ahead, 10-6. Canada delivered the big hit, a three-run homer to left.

In the bottom of the fifth, Rhody again struck with two outs. Corin reached on an error and Laurence Hill walked before Chris Hess pulled a double into the left field corner to drive in Corin and make the score 10-7.

That was as close as the Rams got as they were shutout over the final four innings.

Inside the Box Score

For the second night in a row, sophomore Nick Johnson have the Rams a strong performance out of the bullpen. He went a career-long 5.0 innings, allowing just one run on four hits and matching his career best with four strikeouts. Through two games at the regional, he has pitched 6.0 innings and given up one run while fanning six batters.
Five of Rhode Island’s seven runs were scored with two outs.
After neither side was retired in order through the first six innings, both teams went down 1-2-3 in the seventh inning. The Rams were retired in order in each of the final three innings.
Junior Martin Figueroa hit an opposite field solo home run in the bottom of the fourth, his eighth homer of the year. He also doubled, walked and scored twice.
Figueroa has been on base safely in 15 straight games, the second time this season he has had a 15-game streak.
Redshirt junior Mike Corin’s home run was his sixth of the season. He has now hit safely in seven of his last eight games. He scored two runs Saturday.
Sophomore Jordan Powell singled twice, drove in two runs and scored one run. He also had a diving catch in the left-center gap to rob Zack Canada of a hit in the top of the third inning.
Redshirt sophomore Chris Hess doubled, singled, scored one run and had one RBI. The run was his 59th of the season, tying him with Jeff Roy (2012) for the second-highest single-season total in program history.
Senior Connor Foreman just missed a grand slam in the first inning, still getting credit for one RBI on the long sacrifice fly. He later singled.
Freshman Laurence Hill singled and walked. He has reached safely four times through the first two games of the regional.
With two more home runs on Saturday, Rhode Island now has 34 for the season. It is the most for the Rams since they had 37 in 2010.
Senior catcher Chase Livingston threw out a would-be base stealer for the second day in a row and is 2-for-2 in the regional. Livingston also has thrown out 30-of-65 base stealers for his career.
The bottom third of UNCW’s order – sophomore Zack Canada, junior Robbie Thorburn and junior Kennard McDowell combined for seven hits, seven RBI and five runs scored. Each of the three hit one home run, with Canada and McDowell hitting three-run shots.
The Seahawks had four home runs on the night. In addition to Canada, Thorburn and McDowell, junior Gavin Stupienski hit a solo home run, marking the 34th straight game he has reached base safely.
Every starter for the Seahawks had at least one hit and scored at least one run.
Four of the first five batters in the first inning for Rhode Island worked three-ball counts as the Rams forced UNCW starter Alex Royalty to throw 43 pitches in the opening frame. The Rams knocked him out of the game after just 1.2 innings, getting to him for four runs – three earned – on six hits.
Paid attendance for the game was announced as 5,250. The game took three hours and 36 minutes to complete.

Up Next
Rhode Island will face South Carolina in an elimination game Sunday at noon. The winner will then advance to play UNCW Sunday at 6 p.m. Both games will be shown live on ESPN3.com.