Rhode Island Lineup
Hess (2B), Figueroa (C), Powell (CF), O'Neil (3B), Corin (LF), McManus (1B), Foley (RF), Ilario (DH), Heiss (SS), Walker (P)

Sacred Heart Lineup
Shaw (SS), Perry (CF), Brown (2B), Klebart (1B), Schock (RF), DeFilippo (LF), Friar (C), Markmann (DH), Czapelski (3B), Miller (P)

How it Happened 
Rhode Island rallied from an early four-run deficit and seven pitchers combined to throw eight shutout innings as the Rams beat Sacred Heart 6-4 in the home opener Tuesday.

Sacred Heart (5-14) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the second, taking advantage of a leadoff single, four walks and a Rhode Island error. 

Rhode Island (7-10) cut it in half in the bottom of the inning as Mike Corin led things off with a double to left field before advancing to third on a wild pitch and scoring on a sacrifice fly by Brett McManus. Mike Foley was then walked and stole second, setting up Kevin Heiss' RBI single through the right side that made it a 4-2 ballgame.

Matt O'Neil's RBI double drove in Jordan Powell in the bottom of the third trimmed the Sacred Heart lead to 4-3. Powell later tied the game in the home half of the seventh when his one-out single through the left side of the infield brought in Martin Figueroa.

Rhode Island took its first lead in the bottom of the eighth. McManus led off the inning with a triple to center, and he came in when Mike Foley doubled just inside the third base bag. Powell added an insurance run when he drew a bases loaded walk to bring in Foley.

Inside the Box Score

• Junior Jordan Powell went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
• Redshirt senior Matt O'Neil also had a pair of hits for the Rams - both doubles - and drove in a run.
• Junior Mike Foley crossed the plate twice. He reached twice - on a double and a walk - and had one RBI.
• Sophomore Brett McManus belted his first triple of the season. He also had a sacrifice fly and scored one run.
• Redshirt junior Chris Hess doubled and was hit by a pitch.
• Senior Martin Figueroa doubled, walked stole one base and scored a run.
• Senior Mike Corin doubled, walked and scored one run.
• Sophomore Kevin Heiss singled, walked and had a sacrifice bunt.
• Redshirt junior Tyler Barss extended his own program record by recording his 19th career save. It was his fourth of the season.
• Freshman Vitaly Jangols picked up his second win in as many decisions by pitching a scoreless frame in the top of the eighth.
• Four Rhode Island pitchers - freshman Nick Robinson, junior Dom Grillo, sophomore Mark Silvestri and redshirt senior Blaise Whitman - combined to retire 13 consecutive batters from the second inning through the sixth.

Up Next
The Rams return to action on Friday evening when they open Atlantic 10 play with the first of three games at Davidson.