Rhode Island Lineup
Caputo (SS), Olmo (RF), Hess (2B), Taveras (DH), Corin (3B), DeRegis (LF), Foreman (1B), Powell (CF), Gardella (C), Distasio (P)    

Massachusetts Lineup
Adie (CF), Yanakopulos (3B), McLam (2B), Geannelis (1B), Picard (RF), Morris (LF), Walsh (C), Hart (DH), Scifo (SS), Moloney (P)  

How it Happened
Rhode Island (20-20-1, 12-7) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Ryan Olmo doubled up the middle before coming around to score on Chris Hess' fifth triple of the season.

Massachusetts (14-23, 10-9) evened it up at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth but Tim Caputo put the Rams back in front with a fourth-inning RBI single that scored Nick DeRegis.

The Minutemen knotted the score once again, before going up 4-2 on Adam Picard's two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth.

Rhode Island then loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth, but UMass worked out of the jam unscathed.

Mike Corin eventually scored on a wild pitch in the eighth to make it a 4-3 game and Derek Gardella led off the ninth with a singled up the middle, but pinch runner Mike Sherburne was stranded at second base as UMass held on for the 4-3 victory.

What it Means
Despite the loss, Rhode Island remains in a three-way tie first place in the Atlantic 10 standings as today's other conference matchups saw Fordham losing to VCU (2-1), Saint Louis losing to George Washington (6-4) and Richmond defeating Dayton (13-5). Rhody, Saint Louis and Richmond all currently sit at 12-7 in the Atlantic 10.

Inside the Box Score

• As a team, Rhode Island outhit UMass 12-7, but the Rams also stranded nine base runners compared to just four for the Minutemen.
• Junior right fielder Ryan Olmo and freshman center fielder Jordan Powell each recorded an outfield assist as Olmo ended the fourth with a 9-6 putout and Powell ended the fifth with an 8-2 double play.
• Olmo finished the day with three hits, one run scored and a stolen base. It was his first three-hit game of the season.
• Senior Tim Caputo was 2-for-4 with an RBI while senior Nick DeRegis and sophomore Mike Corin both went 2-for-4 and scored a run.
• Redshirt freshman Chris Hess tripled, drove in a run and was walked twice.
• Junior Lou Distasio was charged with the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits over seven innings. He struck out four, walked one and hit a pair of batters.
• Sophomore Taso Stathopoulos tossed a 1-2-3 eighth.
• UMass starter Ryan Moloney earned the win, despite allowing nine hits over six innings. Mike Geannelis was credited with the save.

What's Next 
The Rams and Minutemen return to Earl Lorden Field for Game #2 of the Atlantic 10 series, Saturday at 1 p.m.