URI Downs Fordham 7-3 in Opening Game at A-10 Championship

Fordham scored twice in the first and again in the third to lead Rhode Island 3-0 after two and a half innings, but Rhody came back strong, posting seven unanswered runs, and moving on to the second round of the Atlantic 10 Championship.

Rhode Island (24-23-1) made it a one-run game in the bottom of the third as Jordan Powell singled before advancing to third on a double by Ryan Olmo and coming around to score on an RBI groundout by Derek Gardella. Olmo then scored to make it 3-2 on an infield single by Chris Hess.

The Rams pulled ahead in the bottom of the fifth, as Olmo used his second double of the day to drive in Powell before scoring on a fielder's choice ball by Martin Taveras to put Rhody on top 4-3. Nick DeRegis followed with a single to right, driving in Gardella and making it a 5-3 game.

Rhody tacked on two more in the bottom of the sixth when Gardella ripped a bases-loaded single through the left side to score Matt O'Neil and Powell. O'Neil had led off the inning with a double before Powell reached on a perfectly placed bunt single that dropped between the pitcher and catcher.

Fordham threatened in the eighth, but ran into a 7-6-3 out at first and stranded runners at second and third as reliever Taso Stathopoulos used a strikeout and a fly-out to escape the jam. Mike Corin then locked up the win for Rhody, catching a foul-out and recording a pair of unassisted putouts in the top of the ninth.

Rhode Island Lineup
Olmo (RF), Garella (C), Hess (2B), Taveras (DH), DeRegis (LF), Corin (1B), O'Neil (3B), Powell (CF), Caputo (SS), Distasio (P)  

Fordham Lineup
Runco (2B), Edmiston (3B), Kozuch (1B), Galiano (C), Donadio (RF), DeVito (SS), Gajdos (DH), McNally (LF), Lundy (CF), Kennedy (P)  

Inside the Box Score

• Senior Tim Caputo recorded career assists 593 and 594 in the top of the first inning, tying and then passing former Ram Mike LeBel to take over the top spot in the Rhody record book. Caputo finished the day with a game- and season-high six assists.
• Freshman Jordan Powell paced the Rams' offense, recording a game-high three hits and three runs.
• Redshirt junior Derek Gardella went 2-for-3 with a walk, three RBI and one run scored. 
• Junior Ryan Olmo also had a pair of hits - both doubles - was intentionally walked, scored twice and drove in one run.
• Senior Nick DeRegis was 2-for-4 with an RBI. He also recorded his fourth outfield assist on a 7-6-3 play in the top of the eighth.
• Redshirt freshman Chris Hess reached twice, on a hit and a walk. He also drove in a run and recorded four assists with two putouts.
• Redshirt sophomore Matt O'Neil doubled and scored a run for the Rams in the bottom of the sixth.
• Junior starter Lou Distasio earned the win, allowing three runs on five hits over seven innings. He struck out two, walked two and had four hit batsmen. Distasio also initiated a double play on what would have been a sixth-inning sacrifice bunt, but instead was a 1-6-3 play.
• Sophomore Taso Stathopoulos replaced Distasio in the top of the eight - with runners on first and second and no outs - and worked out of the jam before closing it out in the ninth for his third save of the season.

What's Next
Rhode Island returns to Barcroft Park to take on third-seeded Richmond on Thursday morning at 10 a.m.