How It Happened
Rhode Island (10-26) split its doubleheader with Holy Cross Wednesday, going extra innings to take the opener 2-1 before dropping the nightcap 5-1 before darkness set on the URI Softball Complex.

Game 1 – Rhode Island 2, Holy Cross 1 (8 inn.)
A pitcher's duel went in Rhode Island's favor, as Liz Lynchard out-dueled Kelly Nelson for the win. Both teams got a single run in the fourth inning, both the respective aces fired blanks for their teams until the Rams got the walk-off victory in the bottom of the eighth.

Using the tie-breaker rules of starting extra innings with a runner on second base, the Rams were able to push the winner across. With Margaux Lesser on second, Jessica Hennelly struck out, but the pitch was not handled cleanly. Hennelly ran for first, forcing a throw to the base for the out, which enabled Lesser to advance to third. With one out, Rachel Zingerman chopped a ball sharply down the line, and it went off the third baseman's glove and into foul territory, allowing Lesser to easily score the winning run.
 
Game 2 – Holy Cross 5, Rhode Island 1
Rhode Island was six outs away from a sweep before the Crusaders (14-27) broke through with five runs over the final two frames.

URI got an unearned run in the second innings. Vicki Viaclovsky led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice by Sami Villarreal. A groundout advanced Viaclovsky to third, and she came in when Susan Harrison reached on an error.

That was the game's lone run until the top of the sixth. Amy Bengston doubled for Holy Cross to start the sixth, and pinch runner Callie Thibault scored when Megan Yurchick reached on an error. Yurchick, who wound up on second base on the play, eventually scored on a double by Jessie Nagel to give the Crusaders a 2-1 lead.

Rhody managed to get the potential tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth. Viaclovsky reached on an error to lead off, and pinch runner Ainsley Yoshizumi advanced on Villarreal's second sacrifice of the game. Yoshizumi stole third and attempted to score when Cassie Swenson grounded a ball to third. Unfortunately Yoshizumi was thrown out. Swenson reached second with two down after Harrison worked a walk, but a pop out ended the inning.

Holy Cross used three hits and two errors to produce three unearned runs in the top of the seventh. A two-run single by Claire McCann broke the game open. Rhody went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.
 
Inside the Box Scores

• The first game of the day marked Rhode Island's first extra-inning win in five such games this season.
• With the victory, the Rams have double their win total from a year ago despite still having 11 games remaining in the regular season.
• Sophomore Vicki Viaclovsky led the offense with three hits and a walk in six plate appearances. She doubled, singled and drove in a run in the first game, then singled, walked and scored the team's lone run in the second contest.
• Over her last eight games, Viaclovsky has 11 hits and four multi-hit performances. She has raised her season batting average by 84 points over the span.
• Junior Liz Lynchard pitched her eight complete game of the year in the first game, earning her seventh victory. She struck out six and walked just two over eight innings.
• Freshman Cameron Whiteford took the tough loss despite a solid start in the second game. She allowed one earned run over five innings,
• Senior Sami Villarreal had a pair of sacrifice bunts in the second game and now has a team-high six this season.

What's Next
Rhode Island hosts George Washington in a three-game series that begins with a doubleheader Saturday at noon. All three games of the series will be streamed on ESPN+.