How It Happened
In a slugfest that featured three home runs by each team, Providence edged Rhode Island 8-7 Wednesday afternoon at the URI Softball Complex.

Both teams hit three long balls, but it was the visiting Friars (12-13) holding on despite a last-inning rally by URI (5-20) that kept things interesting until the final out.

Rhode Island jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead after one inning, thanks in part to a solo home run by Kylie Bulinski. The Rams added to the lead in the third when Leilyn Alvarez drove in Hannah Hernandez with a groundout.

Providence got on the board in the top of the fourth when Sofia Peterson drilled a two-run home run to left field. Two pitches later, Jacque Harrington homered to center to tie the score. Rhody came right back with a solo home run from Sydney Yoder in the bottom of the frame.

The Friars scored three times in the fifth and twice in the sixth to open an 8-4 lead. Gabrielle Lee had an RBI single and Hanna Aldrich added a two-run single in the fifth. An inning later, Julia Renny had a two-run home run in the sixth to create a four-run cushion.

Providence needed all of those runs. In the bottom of the seventh, Emily Power doubled to deep center and eventually scored on a Hernandez single. Elena Gonzalez came up with two outs and lined a two-run homer to right, making it a one-run game. Bulinski followed with a single to get the potential tying run on base, but a foul out ended the thriller.

Inside the Box Scores

• The first four batters in the Rhode Island lineup combined for six hits, five runs and six runs batted in.
• Sophomore Kylie Bulinski had her second straight three-hit game. She homered and had two singles.
• Over her last four games, Bulinski is 8-for-12 and has raised her batting average from .211 to .290.
• Sophomore leadoff hitter Hannah Hernandez singled, walked, scored twice and had one run batted in.
• She has scored seven times over the last four games and has a six-game hitting streak.
• Junior Leilyn Alvarez tripled, had one RBI and scored one run.
• Graduate student Elena Gonzalez extended her hitting streak to give games with her first home run as a Ram.
• Junior Emily Power singled twice and scored a run.
• Rhode Island has 10 or more hits in four straight games. The team batting average has improved from .220 to .249 since Sunday.
• The team has been successful on 19 consecutive stolen base attempts.

What's Next
Rhode Island travels to Saint Joseph's for a three-game series starting Friday, March 29. The teams play a doubleheader on Friday and a single game the following day. The doubleheader will be streamed on ESPN+.