Rhode Island Lineup
Kopack (SS), Cucinotta (CF), Genther (LF), DePino (1B), Cherry (DH) ,McKenzie (RF), Ramirez (2B), Salgado (3B), Laske (C), Diaz (P)
 
Merrimack Lineup
Haba (SS), Gentile (DH), Golankiewicz (LF), Skurbe (RF), Nelson (2B), Stadnicki (C), Dolbashian (1B), Santarpia (3B), Elliott (CF), Kalantzakos (P)
 
How it Happened
A pair of solo home runs by Anthony DePino and Jack Cucinotta provided Rhody with its only runs of the game in a 6-2 loss to visiting Merrimack Wednesday afternoon.
 
DePino put the Rams on the board first, leading of the second inning with his team-leading sixth homer of the season. After Merrimack tied the game in the top of the third, Cucinotta used a leadoff shot of his own to put Rhody back on top 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth.
 
After the Cucinotta home run, the Rams sent 22 batters to the plate before recording their next hit in the bottom of the eighth. Rhody did manage 11 different baserunners during that stretch – thanks to six walks, three fielder's choice plays and two hit batsmen – but all runners were stranded.
 
Meanwhile, Warriors pushed across three runs in the top of the fifth, and added two more in the seventh for the eventual 6-2 victory.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Freshman Anthony DePino and grad student Jack Cucinotta each homered for the Rams.
• DePino – who also drew a pair of walks – has now homered in five of URI's last seven games.
• Rhody's only other hit on the afternoon was an eighth-inning single by junior Alex Ramirez. Defensively, Ramirez recorded a game-high six assists at second base.
• Junior Tino Salgado was also busy in the infield, recording five assists at third base.
• Redshirt senior starter Alexarmando Diaz took the loss for Rhody, allowing three runs on five hits and a walk through 4.1 innings.
• Senior Bo Brutti, redshirt sophomore Sean Sposato and junior Quincy Clark each tossed a scoreless inning of relief.

Up Next
Rhode Island is back in action at UConn on Friday afternoon.