Spider Baseball Takes Series Opener Against Rhode Island

Friday, March 27

Richmond, Va.

12:00 PM

University of Richmond

13-13, 2-5

Rhode Island

7-17, 3-4

Rhode Island

Richmond

Chase Topolski strides towards home plate from the pitching rubber.

Spider Baseball Takes Series Opener Against Rhode Island

03/27/2026 | Baseball

Box Score

RICHMOND, Va. – Spider Baseball's starter Chase Topolski kept the Rhode Island Rams off the board for six frames Friday, helping Richmond collect a 6-1 victory at Pitt Field.

Richmond, now 13-13 and 2-5 in league play, and Rhode Island, 7-17 on the year and 3-4 in conference action, return to Pitt Field Saturday for game two of the Atlantic 10 Conference series. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

The Rams pressed Topolski in the first inning, collecting two hits and loading the bases, but he was able to get three fly outs to strand the bases loaded. Topolski finished the day scattering five hits, walking two and hitting one with three strikeouts in six innings to earn the victory.

UR responded in the bottom of the first. Sean Scanlon picked up his first of four RBI on the day with a base hit to left center to score Evan Wilson from second. Wilson reached on a Rams miscue then stole second before scoring.

The Spiders added a run in the third inning. Michael Elko kicked off the frame with a base hit to right. With one out, Elko advanced to third on a failed pick-off attempt at first. Scanlon put a sharp ground ball into play to the Rams second baseman, who chose to go to the plate to throw out Elko. The throw sailed and allowed Elko to score and Scanlon to take second.

In the fifth inning Scanlon launched his third home run of the season, a two-run blast, over the right field wall to make it 4-0.

Richmond added two more insurance runs in the sixth. RJ Johnson Jr. led off the frame with a base hit to center then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a wild pitch. Johnson then scored on a squeeze bunt by Elko. Dylan Winebrenner picked up the Spiders second run of the frame with a sacrifice fly to score Wilson.

Chayse Gruber took over on the mound in the seventh. A runner reached on a Spider miscue before Gruber struck out two and got a ground out to strand the Ram at second. Gruber also retired URI in order in the eighth, with two more strikeouts, before running into some trouble in the ninth. Gruber allowed two walks and hit a batter before getting lifted for Dominic Ruggiero with two outs. Ruggiero got the fly out to end the game.