RIC athletics recap – splits for softball, a packed slate for Saturday

Tim Yean

Sports Editor

Graphic by Anchor Staff

Sunday, March 29

Baseball @ University of Southern Maine

Game one: L, 11-1 (seven innings)

Three runs in the seventh inning for the Huskies forced the 10-run rule and ended the opening game early. Fourth-year first baseman Daniel Cascio’s RBI single in the first inning was the lone run scored on RIC’s end. Second-year pitcher Ben Nowinski took the loss to fall to 0-2 on the year.

Game two: L, 23-1 (seven innings)

A 20-run bombardment in the first three innings by Southern Maine set the game in stone. First-year designated hitter Jace Wolfradt’s first career solo shot was the only run scored in the second game. Third-year pitcher Jason Potvin remains winless at 0-3, taking the loss.

Monday, March 30

Softball vs University of Massachusetts Boston

Game one: L, 7-4

A five-run inning by the visiting Beacons disheveled the 3-2 lead held by the hosting Anchorwomen. A run scored in the sixth inning by RIC couldn’t be built on as UMass Boston took away their first Little East Conference win of the year. Third-year catcher Brianna Bailey went 1-for-2 with two RBI. Fourth-year Gabby Cunha was given the loss to fall to .500 with a 3-3 record.

Game two: W, 4-0

The Anchorwomen rebounded successfully to split the home doubleheader. Excellent defense from RIC diminished the UMass Boston batters' effectiveness, as they failed to capitalize on the momentum from their game-one victory. Third-year left fielder Melanie Earley’s single helped spark an eventual three-run sixth inning, capped off by fourth-year second baseman Noelle Simmon’s RBI single. First-year pitcher Mia Crudale improved to 7-0 in the first conference win for RIC. 

Tuesday, March 31

Baseball @ #23 Tufts University – L, 7-5

The Anchormen were able to keep the game tight, capping off the top of the fifth with a 5-4 advantage, but nationally-ranked Tufts readjusted and scored three unanswered runs the rest of the game to improve to 13-4. Third-year center fielder Parker Camelo went 2-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored. Third-year pitcher Casey Williams took the loss.

Softball @ Johnson and Wales University

Game one: L, 11-8

Three doubles from Johnson and Wales at the bottom of the third inning allowed for seven runs in the frame to provide the Wildcats with a cushioning lead that RIC couldn’t come back from. First-year designated player Lily Bell had three hits with four RBI. Fourth-year Gabby Cunha fell below .500, taking the loss.

Game two: W, 13-9

JWU had another huge third inning with five runs scored, but the visitors one-upped the Wildcats with a six-run fifth inning to help take the second game of the twinbill. Fourth-year second baseman Noelle Simmons had a solo shot in the first inning and a two-run blast at the top of the second to account for the first three runs for the Anchorwomen. First-year pitcher Mia Crudale has yet to take a loss, improving to 8-0 as the starter in another complete game.

Wednesday, April 1

Women’s lacrosse vs Fitchburg State University – L, 15-6

Fitchburg held a shorthanded Anchorwomen team to one last-millisecond goal in the second half by third-year attacker Taylor Lambert as the Falcons earned win number four in a blowout. Lambert had three goals total for the hat trick. Third-year goalkeeper Giana Franco played the first half and took the loss as the starter, making six saves. Second-year Abaigeal Estano replaced Franco in the second half and made six saves of her own. Read the full recap here. 

Saturday, April 4

Track and field @ Ocean State Cup (Smithfield, RI) – 4th of seven (combined men & women, team score 76.0)

RIC finished as the top Division III institution in Saturday’s meet, only outpaced by Division I programs.

Men:

First-year Jack McEntee entered into the top-ten nationally (NCAA Division III) with his first-place finish in the 400m hurdles, a time of 53.93s placing the freshman ninth in the country. Classmate Marco Ruiz followed behind with a third-place finish in the 400m hurdles (55.08s) while notching second in the 110m hurdles (15.62s). 

Women: Haley Oliver’s fourth-overall finish in the 1,500m broke her own program record that the fourth-year set two years prior with a time of 4:40.22. The 4x100m relay team (first-years Marie Scanlon, Naibel Noriega and second-years Quiana Pezza, Quiana Pezza) spotted a fourth-place finish (49.28s).

Men’s tennis vs University of Massachusetts, Boston – W, 4-3

Fifth singles was the match-deciding matchup and first-year John Vaughan delivered with a 2-1 win at the spot to secure the Little East conference win. It was an initial 3-0 lead for the hosts with the overall doubles win and second and sixth single victories, but the Beacons won the next three singles matchups to knot up the affair. Vaughan’s match-winning win helped bring the Anchormen to 2-0 in-conference. 

Softball vs University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Game one: W, 11-10 (eight innings)

UMass Dartmouth held a seemingly insurmountable 10-3 lead entering the Anchorwomen’s turn at the bottom of the fifth, but a relentless RIC offense slashed the deficit to two with five runs scored. The hosts tied up the game in the seventh to force an additional eighth inning of play, concluded by a sacrifice fly from third-year third baseman Gabrielle Sweeney to complete the improbable comeback. First-year pitcher Mia Crudale remained undefeated with a late appearance to pitch the last three innings. Read the recap here.

Game two: L, 6-4

Mia Crudale’s undefeated season came to an end with a second-game loss to the Corsairs. Insurance runs in the seventh helped UMass Dartmouth leave the Dayna A. Bazaar Softball Complex with a win to take home. Fourth-year second baseman Noelle Simmons went 2-for-3 with an RBI, a double and two runs scored.

Baseball @ Vermont State University Castleton

Game one: L, 12-2 (eight innings)

The Spartans scored two runs in the eighth inning to enforce the 10-run rule and end the opener in Castleton early. RIC’s two runs were both entered in the top of the first inning with RBI singles from fourth-year first baseman Daniel Cascio and classmate right fielder CJ Almagno. Second-year pitcher Ben Nowinski was handed the loss.

Game two: L, 24-3 (seven innings)

11 runs in the second inning helped to pummel the guests in the game two blowout. Cascio, Almagno and first-year shortstop Ryan O’Leary each sent in a run, with Almagno recording an RBI double. Third-year Stephen Sullivan took the loss on the mound.

Women’s lacrosse @ Vermont State University Castleton – L, 21-9

Castleton’s women’s lacrosse team secured the total sweep over RIC athletics with a double-digit blowout of the RIC lax team Saturday night. Second-year midfielder Brie Macaruso had her third hat trick of the season in the defeat. Second-year goalkeeper Abaigeal Estano made 13 saves in the loss.