How It Happened
After an offensive explosion led to a mercy-rule victory in the opener, Rhode Island (10-18) had a frustrating performance in the nightcap as it split a doubleheader with UMass Lowell Tuesday. The Rams won Game One 11-3 in six innings, but they dropped the second game to the River Hawks (18-18), 2-0.

Game 1 Starters
UMass Lowell
Van Alstyne (CF); Spinello-Branc (SS); Santiago (LF); Wade (DP); Quintanilla (3B); Neeld (2B); Fitzgerald (1B); Stepp (C); Santoli (RF); Rowan (P)

Rhode Island
Hernandez (CF); Frickleton (3B); Bulinski (C); Zawistowski (1B); Orndorff (LF); Knarr (DP); Snyder (RF); Ialongo (SS); Miller (2B); Gerry (P)

Game 1 - Rhode Island 11, UMass Lowell 3 (6 inn.)
Rhody trailed 3-0 after two innings, but an RBI single by Riley Frickleton and a two-run double from Kylie Bulinski tied the game. An inning later Frickleton came through again with a two-out single that drove in Casey Miller for a 4-3 loss.

Provided a lead, Brooke Gerry settled in and dominated through the middle innings. The sophomore pitcher retired nine straight batters from the second through the fifth. After allowing three runs on three hits in the second inning, Gerry allowed two hits and no runs the rest of the way.

Rhody used a seven-run sixth inning to record its second eight-run rule win of the season. Katie Knarr singled. Rayah Snyder followed with a sacrifice bunt, and when the UMass Lowell defense made an error, Snyder and pinch runner Mandi Hanewich both wound up in scoring position. Giuliana Ialongo singled Hanewich in. Snyder came home on a wild pitch to make the score 6-3.

Casey Miller doubled to get herself and Ialongo into scoring position. Hannah Hernandez singled to plate Ialongo and put runners on the corners. Hernandez stole second, and when the throw down got away, Miller scored. Riley Frickleton reached on an error that allowed Hernandez to score from second. When Becca Zawistowski reached on a fielder's choice to get runners on the corners again, Sydney Orndorff singled to bring Frickleton in. A groundout put Zawistowski and Frickleton into scoring position before Snyder ended the game with a single that drove in Zawistowski.

Game 2 Starters
UMass Lowell
Baumes (RF); Calkins (3B); Santiago (LF); Wade (DP); Neeld (2B); Rowley (C); Hardy (1B); Van Alstyne (CF); Spinello-Branc (SS); LaCedra (P)

Rhode Island
McNally (CF); Torres (SS); Bulinski (DP); Zawistowski (1B); Orndorff (LF); Maleitzke (C); Snyder (RF); Ialongo (3B); Scurci (2B); Hibbard (P)

Game 2 - UMass Lowell 2, Rhode Island 0
Despite getting at least one runner on base in every inning - and loading the bases three times - Rhode Island was unable to score against UMass Lowell pitcher Giana LaCedra. LaCedra allowed seven hits and three walks while hitting five batters. Still the Rams stranded 16 runners on base while getting blanked.

UMass Lowell got all the runs it needed in the fourth inning. A sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Isabel Quintanilla brought pinch runner Taylor Dolan in for a 1-0 lead. Ella VanAlstyne lined a shot off that deflected off URI pitcher Ashley Hibbard and allowed Elizabeth Neeld to score from third.  

Inside the Box Scores

• Brooke Gerry pitched a complete game with 10 strikeouts in the opener to pick up her first win of the season.
• Rhode Island had 15 hits in the first game.
• Giuliana Ialongo had four hits on the day, getting two in both games.
• In the first game, she doubled, scored twice, drove in a run and had a stolen base.
• Casey Miller had a big day at the plate. She was 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored.
• Sydney Orndorff had three three hits - including a double - and drove in a run in the opener.
• Riley Frickleton and Kylie Bulinski both had two hits and two RBI, while Frickleton also scored twice in the opener.
• Hannah Hernandez singled, scored once, drove in a run and had a stolen base in the opener.
• The steal was the 40th of her career, making Hernandez the fifth player in program history to reach the milestone.
• Katie Knarr had a pair of singles in the first game.
• Rayah Snyder singled, scored once, had one RBI, and drew a walk on the day.
• The Rams left 16 runners on base in the second game.
• The team was 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position in the nightcap.
• Olivia Kuhnel provided 3.1 innings of scoreless relief in Game Two.

Up Next
Rhode Island plays in-state rival Bryant on Wednesday at 4 p.m.