Rams Fall to Rider in Extra Innings, 6-5

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Freshman Amanda Sbei (Collegeville, Pa.) drove in a pair of runs in the University of Rhode Island softball team's 6-5 loss in eight innings to Rider University Saturday evening in non-conference action at the Osceola Complex at the Rebel Spring Games.

The Rams (1-12) scored four times in the top of the third to take a 4-0 lead. Senior Christine Gentile (West Babylon, N.Y.) lead off with a single and came around to score on a sac fly by sophomore Leah DiBussolo (East Norriton, Pa.) for the game's first run. Later in the inning, Sbei laced a triple that plated sophomores Melissa Wilson (Longview, Wash.) and Jackie Kampmeier (East Norriton, Pa.). Poedubicky followed with a single to plate Sbei.

The Broncs (3-6) rallied back with five runs in the bottom half of the inning to grab a 5-4 lead, highlighted by a two-run double from Tiffany Day-Neutill and an RBI double by Brittany Eckett.

URI tied the game in the seventh to send it into extra innings. Sophomore Darci Borden (Elma, Wash.) and Kampmeier recorded one-out singles to put runners on first and second for Wilson, who doubled to score Borden. Kampmeier was thrown out at the plate on the play.

After the Rams failed to score in the top of the eighth, Eckett plated the game-winning run with a sac fly to center.

Sophomore MaryBeth Ball (Clinton, Mass.) started for the Rams and lasted 2.1 innings, allowing three hits and five runs (three earned). Senior Jill Anderson (Cohoes, N.Y.) - who pitched earlier in the day against Wagner - came on in relief and limited the Broncs to two hits and an unearned run over 5.1 innings of work. Lauren Brunner picked up the win for Rider, allowing nine hits and five runs (one earned) while striking out one.

Rhode Island return to action Sunday afternoon when it faces Wisconsin-Green Bay at 9 a.m. and Columbia at 1 p.m.