Rhode Island Lineup 
Hess (2B), Figueroa (3B), Powell (CF), Olmo (LF), Livingston (C), Gardella (DH), Corin (1B), Hill (SS), Foley (RF), Wilson (P) 

VCU Lineup
Farrarr (CF), Mickelson (2B), Kerrigan (RF), Davis (SS), Carpenter (DH), Acker (1B), Bunn (LF), Ching (3B), Haymaker (C), Thompson (P) 

How it Happened
Aggressive from the start, Rhode Island (10-13, 3-1) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Martin Figueroa doubled to right center and came around to score on a single to center by Jordan Powell. Mike Corin made it 2-0 in the bottom of the second, launching a ball over the left field wall against 25mph winds blowing in toward the plate. A two-run single by Ryan Olmo then made it 4-0 Rhody the following inning, as Figueroa and Chris Hess both scored on the base hit up the middle.

VCU (19-11, 5-2) got its lone run of the game in the top of the fifth, on two-out solo shot by Walker Haymaker. However the Rams got the run back in the bottom of the frame as Hess led off with a single and later scored on a passed ball.

The two teams would combine for just four hits the rest of the way, giving Rhody the series opener by a score of 5-1.

Inside the Box Score

• Sophomore Tyler Wilson picked up his team-leading fifth win of the season, allowing just one run on five hits over seven innings of work. He also fanned six batters while issuing only one walk in his fourth quality start of the season.
• In his last three starts, Wilson has combined for 24 strikeouts with just 14 hits and three walks. His ERA over that span is a minuscule 1.64.
• Freshman Mark Silvestri took over for Wilson in the top of the eighth and retired the first five batters he faced before allowing his only hit of the day with two away in the ninth.
• Junior Martin Figueroa led the Rams at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. His first hit of the game - a double to right center - was the 100th hit of his career.
• Redshirt sophomore Chris Hess also scored a pair of runs for the Rams. Hitting in the leadoff spot for the first time this season, he singled once and drew a walk. 
• Redshirt junior Mike Corin's second-inning home run was his third of the season. In nine career games against VCU, Corin is hitting .351 with two homers, two doubles, a triple, six RBI and three runs scored.
• Senior Ryan Olmo extended his hit streak to eight consecutive games with his two-run single in the bottom of the third. He and Hess are now tied for the second-most hits on the team with 23 apiece.
• Sophomore Jordan Powell kept his reached-base streak alive, stretching it to 12 games with a first-inning single that scored Figueroa. Powell and Figueroa currently lead the Rams with 29 hits each.
• Eight of Rhody's nine hitters reached base at least once on the afternoon. 
• For the game, URI held a 9-6 advantage in hits. 
• VCU starter Sean Thompson (5-1) took the loss - his first of the season - as he allowed five runs on nine hits over a 6.0-inning start. Tanner Winters and Luke Crabb each tossed a scoreless inning of relief for the visiting Rams.

Up Next
Rhody and VCU return to The Beck for Game Two of the series, Saturday at 1 p.m.