How It Happened
Rhode Island played its third straight one-run game, falling 4-3 to UC Davis at the Silicon Valley Classic II in Sacramento Friday afternoon. The game ended on a questionable call at the plate, as the Rams had a runner called out on a tag play in which the defense appeared to drop the ball.

In the bottom of the seventh, URI (2-9) got the potential tying run on base when Casey Miller reached on an infield single with one out. Rachel Zingerman followed with a single through the right side, moving pinch runner Mandi Hanewich to second base. Elena Gonzalez hit a grounder that resulted in a force out of Zingerman at second base. Hanewich got hung up rounding third, and following a rundown, she was called out at the plate despite what appeared to be a dropped ball, ending the game.

Rhode Island had two leads earlier in the game. The Rams broke broke a scoreless tiein the bottom of the third when it strung together four singles in a span of five batters. Casey Miller led the frame off with a single to left, and Elena Gonzalez did the same one out later. Kylie Bulinski loaded the bases with a single up the middle before Becca Zawistowski followed suit, driving in Miller and Gonzalez.

The lead was short lived, as UC Davis (10-6) responded in the top of the fourth. Sarah Starks hit a leadoff triple and Bella Pahulu followed with an RBI single. Pahulu moved to second on a fielder's choice, and a single by Sommer Kisling put runners on the corners. Delaney Diaz delivered Pahulu home with a sacrifice fly to tie the game.

The Rams reclaimed the lead in the top of the fifth. Hannah Hernandez reached on an infield single and was sacrificed to second by Leilyn Alvarez. Hernandez moved to third on a groundout and came in with the go-ahead run when Rachel Zingerman drilled a two-out single to center.

After allowing no walks through the first four innings, Rhody starters Liz Lynchard issued back-to-back free passes on eight pitches to start the top of the fifth. Katie Zaun came on in relief. Runners Alyssa Ito and Anna Dethlefson both moved into scoring position after a sacrifice bunt by Libbie McMahon. Zaun struck out Starks, but Pahulu reached on an infield single that brought in both Dethlefson and Ito to give the Aggies their first lead of the game, 4-3.

Rhode Island went in order in the fifth and sixth before the controversial bottom of the seventh.

Inside the Box Score

• Freshman Becca Zawistowski singled and drove in two runs.
• Freshman Hannah Hernandez singled twice and stole a base.
• She has a team-high five stolen bases.
• Freshman Casey Miller had a pair of singles, giving her a team-leading 13 hits on the year. She also scored one run.
• Senior Skyler Rapuano hit her third double of the year, extending her hitting streak to four games. Rapuano has one hit in eight of the nine games she has played.
• Graduate student Elena Gonzalez singled and scored once.
• Freshman Kylie Bulinski singed and now has five hits over her last three games.
• Senior Rachel Zingerman singled twice, walked and drove in one run.
• Sophomore Katie Zaun pitched 3.0 innings of scoreless relief, giving up two walks and two base hits.

What's Next
Rhode Island plays the first of three scheduled games against San Jose State tonight at 8 p.m. EST. The game will be streamed on the Mountain West Network.