Team 3-8 in two-score games
A trio of close games didn’t go in the Rams’ favor this past week. PHOTO CREDIT: gorhody.com
The University of Rhode Island Softball team returned home this past week for a doubleheader against UMass and a game against rival Providence where they faced a number of close contests. Unfortunately, they fell in all three contests, but showed improvement with exciting endings.
Rhody first took on Atlantic 10 foe UMass on Sunday in a two-game set. The first of the two games was as close as they come, with the Rams taking the Minutewomen to the brink.
After the top of the fifth inning, Rhode Island trailed 6-1 heading into their half of the inning. The comeback began when junior utility player Rachel Zingerman fired a two-run home run to cut the deficit to 6-3 and built confidence heading into the sixth inning.
With each team scoring a run in the sixth inning, the score was 7-4 heading into the seventh inning. After Zingerman and junior Skyler Rapuano reached base, senior third basewoman Ari Castillo clobbered a three-run homer to tie the game and force it into extra innings.
The Rams came up empty in the eighth and ninth innings, leaving runners in scoring position. Their best opportunity came in the ninth inning when they came up short with the bases loaded. The Minutewomen, however, were able to capitalize, scoring on an infield single to take the 8-7 lead and the game in the 10th inning.
In the second game, with UMass up 2-0, they broke the game open in the fifth inning, scoring five runs to take a 7-0 lead. Rhody was able to cut the deficit to 7-2 after junior Cassie Swenson and junior Gabi Lopez scored, but UMass added another run to their total and won the game 8-2.
The Rams next took on in-state rival Providence on Tuesday and once again, they gave their opponent all they could handle.
The first two and a half innings were not kind to Rhode Island, with the wind causing the ball to blow around and force errors defensively for the Rams. It resulted in a 2-0 advantage in favor of the visitors heading into the bottom of the third.
Rhody responded with two runs of their own after Castillo ripped a double into deep left field and scored Zingerman and senior center fielder Sami Villareal to tie the game heading into the fourth inning.
The score remained there until the eighth inning, as Providence scored with a single from Micaela Abbatine dropping in between first base and right field. The Rams couldn’t find a way to score and the Friars walked away with the 3-2 victory.
Despite the losing streak, Ari Castillo felt as though there was progress made in the process.
“We haven’t been in a lot of close games like this in the past,” Castillo said. “We don’t have a lot of experience in close games, so once we get more experience, we will start winning games like that.”
Head Coach Whitney Goldstein added that if the Rams can clean up some small things, they can be on the road to victory.
“If we can just work on some of the fielding errors and timely hitting, we will start winning these games,” Goldstein said.
The Rams next travel to Fordham University for a weekend series and a “Battle of the Rams.” The first game can be seen on Saturday at 12 p.m. on ESPN+.