Kingston, R.I — Chase Livingston's baseball career has raced by like a 90-mile per hour fastball.

He's had a great view of all the action from behind the plate.

Ever since his Little League days, he's worn the catcher's gear. It's hard for him to fathom that his playing days are winding down at the University of Rhode Island.

"It's going way too quick," said Livingston after a 2-1 loss to Boston College on Tuesday. "It's been a great season so far. We're playing well. It's just crazy how fast it's going. I'm just not ready for it to be over. I just want to keep playing."

Head coach Raphael Cerrato is in no hurry for Livingston to leave for program. He recruited Livingston out of East Lyme High School.

"Chase is a good kid," Cerrato said. "The URI baseball program means a lot to him, and that's the kind of players that we want. He's had a good career. ... He's caught a lot the last three years, so he's been a key guy for us. He's a good leader, vocal and works hard.

"He's meant a lot to this program. ... We're going to miss him next year."

Livingston hopes to extend his senior season for as long as possible. Rhode Island is contending for the Atlantic 10 regular season title. The Rams are tied for second place. They host six straight league games, starting with an important three-game set with Dayton this weekend.

"We're in a very good position," Livingston said.

Offensively, Livingston is enjoying his best season. He has career-high numbers in batting average (.231), hits (25), doubles (five), home runs (three), RBI (15), runs scored (13), at-bats (108) and games played (32).

He credited the improvement to a few subtle adjustments in his stance.

"It's done a lot for my swing and helped me a lot," Livingston said. "My mental approach has just been a lot stronger. I know how they're trying to get me out and using that to my advantage."

Livingston had a tough day against Boston College, going 0-for-4 and stranding two runners. He ripped a hard line drive to deep left field in his first at-bat.

He's made his biggest impact behind the plate.

At a solid 6-foot-1, 212 pounds, he can cover a lot of territory. He's mobile, too, sliding over to block consecutive pitches in the dirt with a runner on third in the seventh inning on Tuesday. There was little he could do when the next pitch skipped away, allowing the go-ahead run to score.

"That's unacceptable for me for my standards," said Livingston, who spent part of the last two summers playing for the Mystic Schooners of the New England Collegiate Baseball League.

The URI pitchers love throwing to him, according to Cerrato. Teams are reluctant to challenge him because of his strong, accurate arm. He's nailed nearly half of runners attempting to steal in his career.

"He's a really good receiver," Cerrato said. "He's got strong hands. ... He blocks well. He's able to keep strikes, strikes. He does a good job with that. ... He's definitely one of the better catchers in the Northeast, defensively. In terms of arm strength, there's not too many guys in the country that really can throw the ball better than he does."

Atlantic 10 coaches rated Livingston, who models his game after Buster Posey, the best defensive catcher in the league last season. In March, he was named to the Johnny Bench Award watch list. The award honors the top catcher in Division I.

He called the preseason honor "humbling." It motivated him to work even harder.

"It's what I pride myself on," Livingston said of his defense. "It's what I hold myself most accountable for. I try to do everything I can for the pitching staff and for the guys to be that solid guy behind the plate and be a wall."

Cerrato believes that Livingston will have an opportunity to play at the next level.

Livingston has plans for the future. He'll take a year off after graduation and then return to school to become a chiropractor. He worked as an intern for Dr. Tianne Pape in East Lyme last summer.

"I loved the experience," Livingston said. "I had a great time. It really made me develop a love for the field and that's what I want to do."

One of his first clients may be Cerrato, who plans to keep in touch with Livingston.

"I've already got back issues, "Cerrato said. "He'll be the guy that I'll go to."

g.keefe@theday.com