How It Happened
Rhode Island rebounded from a disappointing loss in the opener to salvage a split of a doubleheader at St. Bonaventure Monday afternoon. The Bonnies (2-15, 1-5 Atlantic 10) rallied to win the opener 5-4 before Rhody (5-19, 3-3 Atlantic 10) needed just five innings to win the second game, 8-0.

Game 1 – St. Bonaventure 5, Rhode Island 4
St. Bonaventure rallied from a two-run deficit in the seventh inning to pull out an improbable victory in the opener of the doubleheader.

Rhode Island led 4-2 heading into the final inning thanks to a two-run, pinch hit single by Sydney Yoder. She drove in Leilyn Alvarez and Elena Gonzalez with the go-ahead runs.

However, the Bonnies started the top of the seventh with a single by Grace Walker, who scored on an RBI double by Kymora Wang. Avery Vale-Cruz came on in relief of Ashley Hibbard and induced a flyout. With one out, Kennedy Haberl and Elyse Graham drew back-to-back walk – both on full counts – to load the bases for Reanna Perkins. Perkins singled through the right side to drive in Wang and tie the score 4-3. After a foul out left the Rams one out from escaping further danger, Kendall Stull was hit by a pitch, forcing Haberl in with the eventual winning run.

St. Bonaventure broke through in the top of the fourth. Kennedy Haberl and Reanna Perkins drew back-to-back walks before Reanna Perkins reached on a bunt single to load the bases. After an infield popup, pinch hitter Kylie Bickert singled through the right side to bring Haberl in with the first run. Brooke Bobby followed with a groundout that scored Perkins and put the Bonnies ahead, 2-0.

Rhody came back in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. Riley Frickleton singled with one out, and Hannah Hernandez followed with an infield single. Frickleton moved to third on a fly out, which allowed Hernandez to steal second a pitch later. With two out and facing a full count, Elena Gonzalez came through with a single up the middle to drive in both Frickleton and Hernandez.

Rhode Island had quality chances in the first and third innings, loading the bases in both frames. However, the Rams were not able to get any runs in either inning.
 
Game 2 – Rhode Island 8, St. Bonaventure 0 (5 inn.)
Pitcher Katie Zaun came up big to make sure Rhode Island took the rubber game in the series. She went the distance, pitching a one-hit shutout while walking three and striking out four batters.

The Rams gave Zaun all the support she needed in the bottom of the first when Leilyn Alvarez drove in Hannah Hernandez with a sacrifice fly. Rhody broke the game open with a four-run third. Kylie Bulinski had an RBI single, Cassie Swenson had a two-run single and Emily Power had a run-scoring single as part of a six-hit inning.

Swenson added an RBI single in the fourth inning, and the game ended in the bottom of the fifth when Hernandez scored an unearned run before Bulinski singled to drive in Alvarez for the walk-off win.

Inside the Box Scores

• Rhode Island left a season-high 13 runners on base in the first game, including eight in scoring position. Over the last four games, the Rams have left 43 runners on base over a span of 22.0 innings.
• Junior Katie Zaun pitched a complete-game one hitter in the second contest, her first complete game of the season. She won for the second straight day, upping her season record to 2-5.
• All 22 hits for the Rams in the doubleheader were singles.
• Rhody also was 8-for-8 on stolen base attempts.
• Sophomore Kylie Bulinski had a strong day at the plate, reaching safely six times in seven plate appearances. She had four singles, two runs batted in, two walks, one run scored and one sacrifice bunt.
• Graduate student Elena Gonzalez had three singles, was hit by a pitch, scored twice, stole two bases and drove in two runs.
• Graduate student Skyler Rapuano singled three times, walked once and scored two runs.
• Sophomore Hannah Hernandez singled twice, walked twice, scored three runs and stole three bases.
• She scored five runs and stole five bases in the three-game series.
• Graduate student Sydney Yoder had a pinch-hit two-run single in the first game. She started the second game and singled, was hit by a pitch and scored one run.
• Graduate student Cassie Swenson had three singles and three RBI on the day.
• Freshman Zoe Rensel singled in the first game.
• Freshman Riley Frickleton singled, scored one run and stole one base.
• Leilyn Alvarez singled, walked, scored two runs, stole a base and delivered a sacrifice fly.
• Rhode Island was considered the home team despite the game being played at St. Bonaventure. Inclement weather in Kingston prevented the series from being played at home.

What's Next
Rhode Island will host Providence for a single game on Wednesday, March 27 at 3:30 p.m. The game was originally scheduled for April plays a three-game series at Saint Joseph's that begins with a doubleheader on Friday, March 29. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.