How It Happened
Rhode Island (14-34, 9-13 Atlantic 10) stayed within striking distance of the postseason by earning a split of a doubleheader at first-place Dayton Saturday. After dropping the first game 8-0 in five innings, the Rams rallied to beat the Flyers (27-18, 16-6 A-10) 6-3 in the nightcap.

Game 1 – Dayton 8, Rhode Island 0 (5 inn.)
Dayton got in front early, starting a two-out rally in the bottom of the first. Maddie Kapsimalis walked and Chloe Wong followed with a double. Nicolette Papavasiliou singled up the middle to bring both in for a 2-0 lead.

The Flyers added two more in the home half of the third. Kirnan Bailey led off with a single, and Wong reached on a one-out infield single that put runners on the corners. Wong stole second to get two in scoring position. Papavasiliou chopped a ball to shortstop, but the throw home from Cassie Swenson to get Bailey sailed high and went over the head of catcher Kylie Bulinski, allowing both Bailey and Wong to score.

With three more runs in the fourth and one in the fifth, Dayton brought the first game to an early end. Provided the run support, pitcher Haven Dwyer (10-5) took care of things from there. She limited the Rams to three singles and no walks while getting the shutout.

Game 2 – Rhode Island 6, Dayton 3
Rhode Island made Dayton pay for a pitching change midway through the game, using an offensive explosion to salvage a split of the doubleheader.
 
Izzy Kemp held the Rams hitless through the first four innings. She retired all 12 batters she faced, recording nine strikeouts along the way.

But the momentum changed quickly in the top of the fifth inning. Trailing 2-0, Rhode Island greeted relief pitcher Sarah Bailitz (7-7) with a four-hit, four-run rally. Kylie Bulinski led off with a single. After a pop out, Emily Power walked and Sydney Yoder singled to load the bases. Zoe Rensel lined a double to the gap in right center, bringing in pinch runner Noelle Sterner and Power to tie the game. A sacrifice fly by Becca Zawistowski drove in Yoder, and a single to left by Elena Gonzalez brought Rensel in to cap the rally.

Katie Reeg lined a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth to pull Dayton within 4-3.

Sydney Yoder provided big insurance runs in the top of the seventh. After Skyler Rapuano led off with a single, Yoder launched a two-run homer to left field to make it a three-run game.

Ashley Hibbard (6-5) went the distance to earn the win for URI. She allowed just two earned runs while scattering eight hits to nail down the victory.

Inside the Box Scores

• Graduate student Sydney Yoder was 3-for-5 on the day. She singled in each game and had her third home run of the year in the second game.
• Graduate student Skyler Rapuano had three hits on the day, all singles. a pair of singles in the opener.
• Sophomore Ashley Hibbard pitched her third complete game of the season. The victory was the 10th of Hibbard's career.
• She has lowered her earned run average to 3.13 overall, and 2.27 in Atlantic 10 play.
• Freshman Zoe Rensel had a double, single, two runs batted in and one run scored in the second game.
• Sophomore Casey Miller had one single in the first game.
• Sophomore Kylie Bulinski had a single in the second game.
• Graduate student Elena Gonzalez singled and drove in one run in the second game.
• Rhode Island has won 14 games in back-to-back years for the first time since the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
• With one more win over the final four games, the Rams would have consecutive 15-win seasons for the first time since 2003 and 2004.

What's Next
Rhode Island and Dayton close out the series with a single game Sunday at noon.