Junior utility player Rachel Zingerman lines up for a pitch at this past weekend’s Runnin’ Bulldog Classic. PHOTO CREDIT: gorhody.com
The University of Rhode Island Softball team opened the Whitney Goldstein era on a solid note, finishing 2-3 at the Runnin’ Bulldog Classic in North Carolina this past weekend.
It was also a drama-filled weekend as four of the team’s five games came down to one run. Goldstein was pleased with how her team performed.
“From what I’ve seen over the years with different teams, I saw good progress being made by them,” she said. “They definitely met expectations and at times surprised the whole coaching staff. It’s the little details that I emphasize and they did that in all facets, from finishing plays to hustling all game long. I’m proud of what they did out there.”
In their first game of the tournament against Colgate, the team made an immediate splash. Catcher Susan Harrison got the Rams on the board first with a solo home run in the second inning, followed by an excellent performance from junior picher Liz Lynchard, striking out six batters in seven innings.
With the Rams up 1-0 in the fifth inning, Colgate’s Jillian Herbst scored the game-tying run on an RBI double by Elizabeth Nitka.
The Rams answered in the sixth after a passed ball brought home Leilyn Alvarez from third base, giving the Rams a 2-1 lead. They eventually held on for the win.
Later Friday afternoon, the Rams took on Gardner-Webb in an offensive shootout. The hosts got on the board first in the second inning when a sacrifice fly ball by Andrea Lyon brought Abbey Goodrum in to score . Then, Bridgette Strobl would score another run, putting Gardner-Webb ahead 2-0.
The Rams got on the board in the third inning after Emily Power scored off a triple by Ainsley Yoshizumi. Rapuano eventually brought Yoshizumi home with a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2.
Lyon scored a solo home run to regain the lead at the end of third inning and Reah Barger would increase the lead to 4-2 with her own solo home run in the fourth.
The Rams continued to fight, tying the game at 4 in the fifth after Alvarez and Rapuano scored. Rhody eventually took the lead in the eighth inning after Yoshizumi scored on an error made by the Bulldogs center fielder. Unfortunately for Rhody, they would lose this one in heartbreaking fashion after scores from Lyon and Asheton Queen helped the Bulldogs win 6-5.
The Rams would play the Bulldogs in another close one in their third game of the tournament. All of URI’s runs came in the second inning, with Swenson scoring on a Rachel Zingerman walk and Harrison being brought in on a Villarreal pop fly. Lynchard had another strong performance in the 2-1 win, pitching seven innings and striking out seven.
Game 4 against Youngstown State would be decided in extra innings. URI scored first in the third when Castillo flew out to right field, sending Power in to score. However, the Penguins tied the game when Alex DeLeon scored on a Nikki Saibene single.
The Rams struck back in the next inning, scoring two more by Vicki Viaclovsky and Harrison, retaking the lead at 3-1.
Youngstown State eventually tied the game at 3 and won 4-3 in the eighth inning after Conchetta Rinaldi got a base hit and sent Bree Kohler in to score.
The final game in the tournament for URI was against Colgate for the second time. Unlike the previous four games, this one wasn’t close at all. The Raiders won it 7-1 with Rapuano scoring the lone run off a Viaclovsky single.
Despite the results of the weekend, the team is feeling good about their play and how the games will go moving forward.
“I think we did a great job supporting each other, whether it be from the bench or on the field and we kept building everyone up,” Harrison said. “As well as going deep into counts, so I think that’s a good starting point for us going forward.”
The team will enjoy this weekend off before returning to the diamond on Feb. 25-27 for the Hatter Classic in Deland, Florida against Marist College, Harvard University and Stetson University. Goldstein is enthusiastic on how the team will perform.
“We’re excited to get the opportunity to get on the field and get prepared for conference play,” Goldstein said. “That’s what these tournaments help with, you could almost consider it a preseason, so they definitely help us learn and grow as a team leading up to league play.”