Dover, Del. (Mar. 7, 2020) – Four Rhode Island players drove in three runs each to highlight the Rams' 23-5 victory over Delaware State in the opener of a three-game series at wind-whipped Soldier Field today.
Rhode Island had 19 hits, including three home runs, two by designated hitter Jackson Coutts.
The Rams scored multiple times in five of the first six innings, highlighted by nine runs in the sixth and a five-run first.
Delaware State had 11 hits in the game. The big blow for the Hornets was a second inning grand slam by freshman catcher Mason Brewer to cut the URI lead to 7-4.
Greg Cavaliere smacked a two-run and Coutts hit a solo shot off Delaware Starter Cole Bates (fr.) in URI's five-run first inning. Coutts launched his second homer of the game, a two-run bomb in the second to give the Rams a 7-0 lead.
Tyler Cunningham and Mike Carrington singled with one out in the DSU second, and Mark Herron followed with a walk to set the table for Brewer's grand slam, his first collegiate homer. The Caesar Rodney (Del.) High School product is tied for the Hornets' lead with seven runs batted in this season.
Rhode Island scored three runs in the fourth to stretch its lead to 10-4. The Rams added four more runs in the fifth to open up a 14-4 advantage.
URI scored nine runs on just five hits to blow the game open. The big blow in the inning was a three-run double by Alex Ramirez. The Rams sent 14 batters to the plate in the inning.       
Rhode Island also scored three runs on Delaware State wild pitches and another on an error. The Hornets threw seven wild pitches in the game.
Tyler Cunningham was three-for-three and singled in Delaware State's final run in the seventh inning. The performance raised his batting average to a team-best .357 this season (10-for-28).
The Hornets (3-9) and Rams (6-5) will wrap up the series with a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at noon.