Box Score How It Happened
Liz Lynchard carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning as she pitched a complete-game shutout to lead Rhode Island to a 6-0 win at Massachusetts in the opener of a doubleheader Wednesday.

Lynchard (8-11) dominated from the start, retiring the first 14 batters she faced. She hit a batter with two out in the fifth, but she saw no further damage until the seventh. In the top of the seventh, Chloe Whittier looped a single into no man's land in shallow left center to end the no-hit bid. Lynchard recovered to get the next three hitters and end the game.

The Rams (17-27-1, 7-11 Atlantic 10) got off to a fast start. Hannah Hernandez led the game off with an opposite-field single and moved to second when Rachel Zingerman followed with a four-pitch walk. Elena Gonzalez got a sacrifice bunt down to move both runners into scoring position. An RBI groundout by Kylie Bulinski brought Hernandez in with the first run, and Skyler Rapuano delivered a single up the middle to drive Zingerman in for a 2-0 lead.

Rapuano added to the lead in the top of the fourth inning. She drilled Jenna Bradley's first pitch of the inning straight away to center for a solo home run to make it 3-0.

The Rams put the game away with a three-run sixth. Gonzalez got things started with a single and stole second base. Bulinski singled to put runners on the corners. Pinch runner Mandi Hanewich stole second to put two in scoring position for Rapuano, who reached on an infield single that scored Gonzalez. On the play, Hanewich hustled to third ahead of a throw, which allowed Rapuano to advance to second. Jessica Hennelly singled up the middle to drive in Hanewich and Rapuano and give Rhody a commanding 6-0 lead.

Massachusetts (14-28, 5-13 A-10) never got a runner past second base as it fell two full games behind the Rams in the race for the sixth and final spot in the Atlantic 10 Championship.

Inside the Box Score

• Liz Lynchard pitched her eighth complete game of the season as she allowed just one hit while striking out six. She faced just two batters more than the minimum.
• Senior Skyler Rapuano was 3-for-3 with a home run, two singles, three runs batted in and two runs scored.
• With the three RBI, Rapuano has a team-high 16 on the season.
• Freshman Hannah Hernandez singled twice and scored a run.
• Senior Rachel Zingerman walked and scored one run.
• Graduate student Elena Gonzalez singled and had a sacrifice bunt. She also stole a base for her 15th steal in as many attempts.
• Freshman Kylie Bulinski singled and drove in one run.
• Senior Jessica Hennelly singled and drove in two runs.
• Senior Cassie Swenson had a sacrifice bunt in the second inning, her ninth of the season and 15th of her career. She is tied for10 th in program history with Danielle Gariglio (2014-17) and Heather Pelletier (2002-05).
• Freshman Mandi Hanewich appeared as a pinch runner. She stole a base and scored a run, both career firsts.

What's Next
Rhode Island and Massachusetts play a second game Wednesday afternoon. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.