How It Happened
Rhode Island jumped all over George Washington early and held on to win the rubber game of the three-game series, beating the defending regular-season Atlantic 10 champions 7-4 Sunday afternoon.

The Rams (5-15, 2-1 A-10) used its aggressive offensive approach to score five times in the top of the first. Rachel Zingerman led off with a walk and promptly stole second. Casey Miller followed with a single to put runners on the corners. With Elena Gonzalez at the plate, Miller broke for second and got herself in a rundown, allowing Zingerman to score. Miller wound up at second, completing the double steal. Gonzalez singled to center to again give the Rams runners at the corners. She stole second - the team's fourth steal of the inning - to get herself into scoring position.

A walk to Vicki Viaclovsky loaded the bases for Skyler Rapuano, who drilled a double to bring Miller and Gonzalez in. Cassie Swenson drove in Viaclovski with a sacrifice fly, and Hennelly drove in Rapuano for a 5-0 lead.

The Colonials (10-9, 1-2 A-10) chipped away at the lead, scoring twice in the first inning. They added single runs in the second and third to pull within one run. George Washington had all the momentum and appeared poised to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. Rose Cano laced a two-out double to center. Abby Schaub followed with a single through the left side, and Cano was sent home. Rhody left fielder Jessica Hennelly came up firing and threw a strike to Viaclovsky at home to get the runner and preserve a one-run lead for the Rams.

In the next half inning, Hennelly came through on offense, delivering a two-out double to drive in Rapuano and give URI an insurance run and a 6-4 lead. In the sixth, Rapuano came through with a single to drive in Gonzalez and give the Rams a 7-4 lead.

With the offense providing run support, Katie Zaun came on in relief of URI starter Liz Lynchard and shut down the Colonials over the final three innings. GW loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh on an error, single and walk. That brought leadoff hitter Arizona Ritchie to the plate as the potential winning run, but Zaun got her to pop up to Power at third to end the game.

Inside the Box Score

• Senior Liz Lynchard (4-4) picked up her second win of the weekend, working through four innings for the victory.
• Sophomore Katie Zaun was excellent in relief, hurling 3.0 shutout innings to pick up her second save of the season.
• Zaun struck out five batters while allowing two hits and three walks.
• Senior Skyler Rapuano doubled, singled, walked, drove in two runs and scored twice.
• For the series, Rapuano was 5-for-8 with two doubles, two walks, four RBI and four runs scored. She factored in eight of URI's 10 runs scored in the series.
• Graduate student Elena Gonzalez singled three times, stole one base and scored one run.
• Senior Jessica Hennelly doubled and drove in two runs.
• Freshman Hannah Hernandez singled twice.
• Senior Rachel Zingerman walked, stole two bases and scored a run.
• Freshman Casey Miller singled, stole one base and scored one run.
• Junior Vicki Viaclovsky singled, walked and scored one run.
• Senior Cassie Swenson had a sacrifice fly and one RBI.
• Sophomore Emily Power had one single.
• Freshman Kylie Bulinski had a pinch-hit single.

What's Next
Rhode Island is off until Saturday, March 25 when it starts a three-game series at George Mason. The teams play a doubleheader Saturday that starts at noon. All three games of the series are scheduled to stream on ESPN+.