How it Happened
No. 2 Davidson scored six runs between the fourth and eighth innings to hold off No. 7 Rhode Island in the opening round of the 2023 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship Tuesday afternoon.

Rhode Island (23-28) jumped out early with three runs in the top of the first. After Michael Anderson drew a one-out walk, Billy Butler drilled a no-doubt shot to left field for a 2-0 lead. Anthony DePino was hit by a pitch and advanced on a groundout. Mark Coley delivered a two-out single through the left side to bring DePino in to add to the lead.

Davidson (30-22) responded with a three-hit, two-run rally in the bottom of the inning. Michael Carico drove in Jacob Friend with a single through the left side. Carico later scored on an RBI single by Henry Koehler. The Wildcats had the bases loaded with one out, but Rhody starter Braeden Perry induced a double play grounder off the bat of Jacob Hinderleider to end the frame. Hinderleider came through in his next at bat, sneaking an opposite field line drive just over the wall in right to tie the game, 3-3.

The Wildcats took their first lead in the bottom of the fifth. Sean Sposato came on to start the inning for URI and walked Carico with one out. Ryan Wilson singled to move Carico up 90 feet. Carico advanced to third on a fielder's choice grounder before he scored on Nick Calero's single through the left side.

Rhode Island manufactured a run in the top of the sixth to knot the score. Addison Kopack led off with an infield single on a chopper to the hole at shortstop. With one out, he stole second base and moved to third when the throw down sailed into center field. Nicholas Toro worked a full count before lofting a long sacrifice fly to right, allowing Kopack to tag up and come in to make the score 4-4.

Davidson again took the lead in the bottom of the seventh, taking advantage of wildness from URI reliever Ryan Andrade. After getting ahead of Ryan Wilson 0-2 to start the inning, Andrade walked Wilson and then Michael O'Shaughnessy to create a jam. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt before Calero brought Wilson in with a grounder to first base. Hinderleider followed with a single to center to give the Wildcats a two-run lead.

The Rams got the tying runs on base in the top of the eighth, as Coley and Kopack began the frame with back-to-back walks. However, the opportunity fizzled with three straight strikeouts.

Davidson added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. Rhody got one runner on in the ninth, but it was unable to score any runs.

Inside the Box Score
•    Despite getting runners on base in eight of nine innings, Rhode Island managed just one run after the first inning. 
•    Redshirt senior Billy Butler's first-inning homer was his 13th of the season. He also extended his hitting streak to 12 games.
•    Butler later added a single.
•    Redshirt senior Mark Coley doubled, singled, walked, drove in a run and stole one base.
•    Since returning for the final three games of the regular season, Coley is 6-for-15 with one home run, two doubles, three runs scored and six RBI.
•    Freshman Michael Anderson walked, was hit by a pitch and scored one run.
•    Sophomore Anthony DePino singled, was hit by a pitch and scored once.
•    Sophomore Eric Genther had a single.
•    Sophomore Rob Butler doubled.
•    Redshirt junior Addison Kopack singled, walked, scored once and had a stolen base.
•    Making his first relief appearance of the season, redshirt junior Sean Sposato pitched 1.2 innings, allowing one run on four hits.

What's Next
Rhode Island will face either No. 5 Richmond or No. 6 George Mason in an elimination game on Wednesday at 7 p.m. If George Mason beats No. 3 Dayton Tuesday night, Rhody will face Richmond. If George Mason falls to the Flyers, URI will face the Patriots. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.