Box Score Rhode Island Starters 
DePino (3B), Notarangelo (LF), Moroney (SS), Hopko (DH), Perron (1B), Genther (RF), Leikus (C), Penney (2B), Medina (CF), Asencio (P)

Sacred Heart Starters
Fitzgerald (LF), Link (RF), D'Amore (1B), McGuire (3B), Kovalchik (CF), Rice III (2B), Yorke (DH), Cilea (C), Nolan (SS), Peterson (P)

How it Happened
After dominating for the first eight innings, a disastrous top of the ninth cost Rhode Island in a 5-4 loss to Sacred Heart in the home opener Tuesday.

Dorsy Asencio, Jake Cullen and Manny Santos combined to allow just three singles over the first eight innings. The trio also combined for 12 strikeouts, overpowering the Pioneers throughout the day.  

Both teams scored once in the first inning, with Rhode Island (4-8) getting a solo home run from Anthony DePino for its run. An inning later, the Rams made Sacred Heart (5-5) pay for an intentional walk to DePino. Danny Leikus singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. After two outs, DePino was walked, and Nic Notarangelo laced a two-run triple to right center. Reece Moroney made it back-to-back triples, with his going to left center for a 4-1 URI lead.

After the first inning, Rhody's pitchers allowed just one hit while setting the Pioneers down in order four times over the final eight innings.

However, Sacred Heart broke through in the top of the ninth. With runners on first and second with one out, Ron Donohue singled through the left side to bring Tim McGuire in. Both runners wound up in scoring position and came in to tie the game when Steak Newman delivered a pinch hit single. Peter Link later dropped down a perfect squeeze bunt to bring in pinch runner Drew Martin with the winning run.

Needing a run in its last at bat, Rhody got a two-out walk from DePino. Notarangelo then reached on an error to put the potential winning run on base. That was all the Rams could muster, as a groundout ended the game.

Inside the Box Score 

• Junior starter Dorsy Asencio gave the Rams 4.0 solid innings of work, allowing just one run on two hits. He struck out three.
• Freshman Jake Cullen was even more effective. He threw 3.0 scoreless innings, striking out seven batters.
• Freshman Manny Santos fanned two in a scoreless inning of work.
• Senior Anthony DePino homered in the bottom of the first inning for his eighth home run through 12 games.
• He now has 53 career home runs. Mike Le Bel is second in program history with 30.
• Graduate student Nic Notarangelo had three hits in four at bats. In addition to his two-run triple, he had two singles and scored once.
• Sophomore Reece Moroney also had a multi-hit game with a triple, single and one RBI.

Up Next
Rhode Island visits Eastern Kentucky for a three-game series from March 7-9. Friday's game begins at 6 p.m. and will stream on ESPN+.