The University of Rhode Island softball team (1-4) began their season this weekend in Wilmington, North Carolina, for the Lafayette Ford Lincoln of Fayetteville Showcase, losing their first four games before ending the tournament with a 2-1 victory over Lafayette College (2-3).
Rhode Island’s first win of the season came during the fifth game of the tournament, and freshman Becca Rogers was a major reason for her and head coach Bridget Hurlman’s first win in the program on Sunday afternoon. Rogers pitched six strong innings for the Rams, allowing one run and seven hits in the 2-1 win. Â
Sophomore Kylie Shivery capped off a productive weekend at the plate when she knocked in the eventual winning run with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the third inning to give Rhode Island the lead.
“I was more excited to see how we came together as a team,†Hurlman said. “We had some ups and downs over the week, and I thought we were able to put it all together in that win, and for Becca to pitch the way she did for her first win, I know it meant a lot to her.”
Rhode Island began the weekend with an early lead in Hurlman’s debut against Lafayette College, 3-0, following a three-run home run by Shivery in the bottom of the first inning. The lead did not last for the Rams however, getting shelled for 11 runs in the next six innings to lose 11-8 in their first of five games. Freshman Becca Rogers was handed the loss in her first collegiate game for Rhode Island, allowing six runs, four earned in 3.1 innings pitched.
In their second game last Friday night, they were unable to score late and were edged out, 3-2, to Delaware State University (2-3). The Rams gave up one run in the top of the third inning, but scored twice in the bottom half of the inning to regain the lead, when Shivery drove in two runs with a two-out single. In the top of the fifth inning, Rhode Island gave up two runs on a single from Delaware State’s Sandy Hawthorne, which was enough to win the game, as URI was unable to score another run despite holding Delaware State to three runs.
Senior pitcher Caitlin Kennedy was given the loss, allowing just two earned runs on nine hits while striking out two batters.
Rhode Island’s third game against the University of North Carolina Wilmington (7-2) was a close battle until the bottom of the fifth inning. URI surrendered five runs, and was unable to respond resulting in a 10-3 defeat.
The Rams again were on the short side of the scoreboard in the fourth game of the weekend set and their second against Delaware State University. URI coughed up six early runs on some defensive miscues and could not recover, resulting in an 11-2 loss.
Rhode Island will next travel to Hampton, Virginia this weekend for the Hampton Lady Pirates
Classic. They will face Quinnipiac University, the University of Buffalo and Hampton University with two games on Friday and two on Saturday.
“This upcoming weekend I know we will be more settled, so I’m expecting to see a few less errors on the defense side and execute offensively,†Hurlman said. “It’s a back-to-back weekend but I know the girls are excited to get back after it and put some more wins on our schedule.”