Game 1
Rhode Island Lineup
White (CF), Brodeur (2B), Ulliana (C), Vargas (1B), Butler (DH), Fortin (3B), Coley (RF), Ramirez (SS), Mircovich (LF), Webb (P)
 
Massachusetts Lineup
Shapiro (LF), Skagerlind (CF), Judd (C), Gervasi (DH), Hart (2B), Rounds (RF), Luttazi (1B), Pearsons (SS), Petrucci (3B), Steele (P)

Game 2
Rhode Island Lineup
White (CF), Brodeur (2B), Ulliana (C), Vargas (1B), Butler (DH), Fortin (3B), Coley (RF), Ramirez (SS), Mircovich (LF), Cherry (P)
 
Massachusetts Lineup
Shapiro (LF), Skagerlind (CF), Hart (2B), Judd (C), Gervasi (DH), Rounds (RF), Luttazi (1B), Pearsons (SS), Petrucci (3B), LeBlanc (P)

How it Happened
Rhode Island swept a doubleheader at Massachusetts and clinched a spot in the Atlantic 10 Championship in the process Friday.

The Rams (26-24-1, 13-6 Atlantic 10) used three home runs and a dominant pitching performance from Mike Webb to win the first game, 7-2. In the second game, Xavier Vargas led a rally from a two-run deficit to compete the sweep with a 7-5 win.

Game 1 – Rhode Island 7, Massachusetts 2
Mike Webb dominated on the mound and Rhode Island hits three home runs in support of him en route to the win.

Each side hit a two-run homer in the first inning. Xavier Vargas launched a shot to put the Rams up 2-0, and Dylan Judd match it with his own shot in the bottom of the frame.
 
Rhody regained the lead in the fourth. Billy Butler led off with a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored when Mark Coley reached on an error. Sonny Ulliana's RBI double to drive in Josh Brodeur made it 4-2. In the sixth, Butler hit a solo homer and Alex Ramirez had a two-run shot to give URI a 7-2 lead.

It was more than enough support for Webb (7-1), who allowed just three hits over 5.0 innings of work. He struck out seven batters, including a stretch of six in a row from the first through the third inning.

Game 2 – Rhode Island 7, Massachusetts 5
Xavier Vargas drove in the first two runs of the game with a two-run double in the first inning. Then, with his team trailing 4-2 in the fifth inning, Vargas grounded a two-run single up the middle to tie the score. Later in the fifth, he scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Joe Fortin to get the Rams in front, 5-4.
 
With Rhode Island up by a run, Massachusetts got its first three batters on base against relief pitcher Vitaly jangols. However, Jangols induced a 5-2-3 ground ball double play for the first two outs of the frame. Then he got another groundout to end the threat without allowing any runs.

A solo home run by Sonny Ulliana and another run scored by pinch runner Greg Cavaliere helped the Rams push their lead to 7-4 after six innings.
 
UMass got three runners on in the bottom of the seventh. Two errors and a single brought in one run for the Minutemen. With the tying runs on first and second with one out, Jangols got a strikeout and groundout to send the game.
 
What It Means
With two wins, Rhode Island clinched a spot in the Atlantic 10 Championship. The Rams can possibly win the A-10 North division.

If URI wins Saturday to sweep UMass, the Rams will win the division. Rhody would be 14-6 with a victory, making it impossible for either La Salle or Saint Joseph's to catch the Rams.

If Rhode Island loses the series finale tomorrow, it would finish with a 13-7 conference record, good for a .650 winning percentage. If Saint Joseph's beats La Salle Saturday, URI would still win the division. If La Salle wins the game, Rhode Island would finish second in the division.

Inside the Box Score

• With his win in the first game, Mike Webb became the 18th pitcher in Rhode Island history to win seven games in a season. The last to do so was current teammate Vitaly Jangols in 2017.
• Xavier Vargas had four hits and six runs batted in on the day. He had a home run, single, two RBI and one run scored in the opener. He followed that up with a double, single, four RBI and one run in the second game.
• Billy Butler hit safely in both games, finishing with a home run, double, walk and two runs scored.
• Alex Ramirez hit his first home run of the season in the opener. Had two RBI.
• Austin White singled and scored in both games.
• Josh Brodeur doubled, singled, walked and scored three runs on the day.
• Sonny Ulliana doubled and had one RBI in the opener. In the second game, he homered, walked and scored twice.
• Vitaly Jangols earned the save in the second game, pitching 3.0 innings and allowing no earned runs. 

Up Next
Rhode Island and Massachusetts close out the regular season with a single game Saturday.