The University of Rhode Island softball team lost two out of a three-game set over the weekend to George Washington University and won a midweek matchup on Tuesday against Stonehill College.
In the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Revolutionaries jumped out to a big lead in the fifth inning on a grand slam from first-year Sydney Hogue to take a 4-0 lead.
The Rams got on the board in the fourth inning on an RBI single from fourth-year Casey Miller.
The bottom half of the inning was disastrous for Rhode Island as the Rams gave up six straight runs, including an RBI double to third-year Paige Hayward, an RBI fielder’s choice to fourth-year Emma Fales, an RBI single to third-year Cece Smith and an RBI fielder’s choice to third-year Cadence Gilliland, to give the Revolutionaries a controlling 10-1 advantage.
Fourth-year Becca Zawistowski had an RBI single in the fifth inning, but that’s all the Rams would come by as George Washington mercy ruled them 10-2 in five innings.
In game two of the doubleheader, the Rams got the first run on a sacrifice fly from second-year Giuliana Ialongo to take a 1-0 lead.
The next run of the game didn’t come until the sixth inning on a fielding error from the Revolutionaries, scoring third-year Riley Frickleton to give Rhode Island a 2-0 lead.
The Rams added three more runs in the sixth inning on a bases-loaded walk, scoring second-year Brooke Gerry on another throwing error from George Washington, scored by third-year Rayah Snyder and Ialongo to make 5-0.
The Revolutionaries got their first runs of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning on RBI doubles from Hayward and Hogue to make it 5-2, but Rhode Island was able to close it out to split the doubleheader.
In Sunday’s series finale, Smith hit a two-RBI single to give George Washington a 2-0 lead.
In the third inning, second-year Emi Todoroki hit an RBI triple to put the Revolutionaires up 3-0. First-year Isabella Ruby drove in Todoroki with an RBI single to add to the lead.
Smith hit an RBI double in the fourth to continue the offensive production for George Washington.
The Rams finally got on the board in the fifth inning on a sac fly from Miller to make it 5-1.
In the bottom half, Smith hit her second double of the day, driving in two more, making it 7-1.
The Revolutionaries scored two more runs in the sixth inning on an RBI base hit by fourth-year Ashley Corpuz, and fourth-year Daniella Lew scored on a fielding error to make it 9-1.
Rhode Island went quiet the rest of the way as George Washington took home the 9-1 victory to take the series.
We haven’t been able to maintain any consistency,” URI head coach Mike Coutts said. “The other team’s best pitcher is always pitching against us, and we haven’t been ready for that.”
Tuesday’s matchup against Stonehill was an onslaught for the Rams that was led by an offensive explosion.
It started with a two-RBI single from third-year Sydney Orndorff to make it 2-0.
In the third inning, Frickleton walked with the bases loaded to extend the lead to 3-0, and then Snyder hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0.
Fourth-year Kylie Bulinski smacked a solo shot in the fourth inning to put Rhode Island up 5-0.
Ialongo followed up Bulinski’s blast with one of her own in the fifth inning, a two-run shot to keep pushing the score up to 7-0.
Fourth-year Ashley Hibbard shut down the Skyhawks, pitching six innings, striking out three, and only giving up two hits and one walk.
“She has probably been our most consistent pitcher,” Coutts said. “She threw a two-hitter and was pretty unhittable, so I was happy for her to see her have that kind of effort.”
The Rams added up four more runs in the sixth inning, mercy-ruling Stonehill 11-0.
“We’ve got an opportunity to win 20 games,” Coutts said. “It certainly would be nice to win two out of three this weekend, and it’s parents’ day on Saturday and senior day on Sunday, so the big thing is hoping the kids come to the field ready to play hard.”
Next up, Rhode Island will play at home with a doubleheader on Saturday and a game on Sunday against George Mason University. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+.
