The University of Rhode Island softball team competed in its first home series of the season against the University of Dayton this weekend, dropping two of the three games, before splitting a doubleheader against Providence College to make its record 7-16.
The three-game set with Dayton was the second against an Atlantic 10 Conference opponent for the Rams this season, after they lost two of three to George Mason University on March 14 and 15.
On Saturday, the Rams took to the URI Softball Complex for the first half of their doubleheader. Third-year pitcher Ashley Hibbard took the mound to start for the Rams.
Hibbard and third-year Dayton pitcher Izzy Kemp each threw four scoreless innings. The scoring started in the top of the fifth inning, when the bases were loaded with no outs, prompting Dayton to turn on its bats.
Second-year infielder Kirnan Bailey shot a double off of the right field wall that brought home two Flyers, giving them a 2-0 lead. After fourth-year infielder Maddie Kapsimalis added another RBI to Dayton’s tally, second-year catcher Deirdre Flaherty cleared the bases with a grand slam, putting her team up 7-0.
URI followed up in the bottom half of the inning with four runs, including RBIs from first-year infielder Katie Knarr and fourth-year outfielder Noelle Sterner.
Kapsimalis added two more RBIs in the sixth inning with a homer to right-center field, halting Rhody’s momentum. Despite a second Knarr RBI in the latter half of the inning, URI could not complete the comeback, finishing the game with a 9-5 loss.
Soon after their defeat, the Rams started with a clean slate for their second game of the day and ultimately came out on top 2-1.
Second-year pitcher Avery Vale-Cruz got the start for URI and pitched three innings, allowing one earned run and three hits. The solo Flyer run came in the first inning on an RBI single from Flaherty.
Fourth-year pitcher Katie Zaun relieved Vale-Cruz and was credited with the win after pitching for the remainder of the game.
URI’s tying and go-ahead runs came in the fifth inning, when first-year infielder Julianne Torres came up to bat with two Rams in scoring position. Torres hit Rhody’s second single of the day and brought home first-year outfielder Ella Morris.
On the following play, second-year outfielder Sydney Orndorff beat out an infield single, which allowed fourth-year infielder Emily Power to come across home plate.
Zaun fought off late-game pressure from the Flyers, ending the game with a full-count strikeout of Flaherty, Zaun’s fifth of the game.
On Sunday, the Rams and Flyers competed in a series-deciding contest, with the Flyers defeating Rhody in an 8-1 score.
Despite the series loss, URI Head Coach Mike Coutts enjoyed the comforts of his new home field in his first season in Kingston.
“It’s always good when you come to the field and you get a good crowd like that,” Coutts said. “It helps keep the kids with some energy and everything else, so I appreciate it.”
Throughout the series, URI left 19 players on base, which has come back to hurt the team in tight games.
“Obviously, there’s always room for improvement; we can work on things like coming back from a deficit,” third-year catcher Kylie Bullinski said.
Due to incoming weather, the Rams took on in-state opponent Providence College on Tuesday evening instead of Wednesday, splitting the doubleheader.
The Friars’ offense made a statement in the first inning, scoring four runs and continuing to add to their lead throughout the rest of the contest. Power had Rhody’s lone run in the second inning with a homer, but the Friars closed things out early in the fifth inning, with the game ending in a 10-1 mercy rule.
In the second game of the evening, it was URI’s turn to get on the board early, going up 3-0 in the first inning off an RBI double by Torres and a Knarr homer. The Friars did not go down without a fight, getting back two runs in the second inning and staying with Rhody even after they extended the lead to 5-2 in the fifth inning.
Despite adding on a run in the sixth and seventh innings, PC could not complete the comeback as URI’s pitching held on to earn the 5-4 win.
Rhody will face off against another A-10 foe at Loyola University Chicago this weekend, beginning on Saturday at 1 p.m. All three games of the series will stream on ESPN+.
