George Washington University
Rhode Island
GW Rally Falls Short at Rhode Island
5/4/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 4, 2007
KINGSTON, RI - Rhode Island (17-24, 11-8 A-10) starting pitcher Brett Palanski allowed just five hits in eight shutout innings and struck out nine as he led the Rams to a 5-1 win over George Washington (17-28-1, 9-10 A-10) on a windy Friday afternoon at Bill Beck Field.
GW managed seven hits total on the day and before the ninth inning, had advanced just two runners past first base. However, in that final frame, the Colonials avoided the shutout and very nearly added more. Chris Marsicano (Old Tappan, NJ/Bergen Catholic) led-off the inning and recorded a pinch-hit single up the middle. Michael Parker (Newton, MA/Newton South) followed with a double down the left-field line to put runners at second and third. Marsicano scored GW's one and only run of the game on a wild pitch. Unfortunately, that was the only offense that the Colonials could muster, as they ended the game with a double-play groundout.
In the loss, senior Mickey Shupin (Sea Girt, NJ/Wall) stole his 27th base of the season, the 71st of his career. Shupin is now tied for first place all-time at GW, with nine regular season games remaining.
Rhode Island began the scoring in Friday's game in the bottom of the second inning, as Gregg Allen led-off with a double and then later scored when Shaun Hagey hit a long single to the fence in left field, making it 1-0 in favor for the Rams.
After that, both teams struggled to find scoring opportunities, with neither club advancing a runner past second base until the bottom of the seventh.
In that seventh inning, with runners on first and third, Oliver Palmer hit a weak groundball off his fists back to GW starting pitcher Pat Lehman (Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Lawn). Lehman dove off the mound and got Palmer at first, the only play he had, as Ryan Cunningham scored from third.
The Rams added three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, chasing Lehman from the game. The sophomore pitcher threw seven innings, allowed five runs, four earned, and struck out three batters.
George Washington and Rhode Island will continue their three-game Atlantic 10 Conference series Saturday at 12:00 p.m.
Game Notes: The Colonials recorded just two extra base hits ... Tim Reeves (Cumming, GA) was the only GW player to record more than one hit ... with his 19th double of the season, Michael Parker is now tied for 10th all-time at GW with 44 doubles ... the school season-record for doubles in a season is 23.
