Junior Logan Gilbert dominated on the mound into the eighth inning on Friday night at Melching Field and got some offensive help from senior catcher Austin Hale as well as some sparkling defense in leading No. 28 Stetson to a 10-1 victory over visiting Rhode Island in the opening game of a four-game series.
 
Stetson improved to 15-2 on the year while dropping the Rams to 3-12. The two teams will square off twice on Saturday with the opening game set for a 2 p.m. start. The nightcap is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m.
 
After getting off to a little bit of a shaky start in the first inning, Gilbert (4-0) settled down, retiring 14 straight URI hitters until allowing a walk in the sixth inning. He carried a no-hit bid into the seventh for the second time in his career, losing it on a two-out double Kevin Heiss.
 
There were a trio of standout defensive plays made behind Gilbert to get him into the seventh without allowing a hit. In the fourth, third baseman Jonathan Meola made a diving stop of a Jackson Coutts smash and quickly bounced up and fired to first for the out. In the fifth it was second baseman Bruce Martin who made a diving catch of a sinking liner off the bat of Sonny Ulliana that kept the bid alive.
 
The one-out walk Gilbert allowed in the sixth was erased by Hale, who gunned down Josh Brodeur trying to steal on the back-end of a strikeout, throw out, double play.
 
It was Hale that gave the Hatters an early lead in the game, delivering a sharp line drive to left that held up a second too long, but was good for a sacrifice fly to score Jacob Koos, who led off the game with a single against Rams' starter Tyler Wilson (0-4).
 
That was all the offense Stetson could muster against Wilson until the sixth inning when Hale led off with a double and then came in to score on a single by Andrew MacNeil.
 
The Hatters chased Wilson from the game in the seventh, scoring three times in that inning. After Meola walked to open the frame and Martin followed with an infield hit, Koos doubled to drive in Meola. URI responded by calling on sophomore side-winder Tyler Brosius from the bull pen. He was on the verge of getting out of the inning after recording a pair of strikeout, but it was Hale who made sure that didn't happen, delivering a two-run single for a 5-0 Stetson lead.
 
The Rams got to Gilbert for a run in the eighth after he allowed a single and a walk to open the frame. After getting a ground ball for the first out, the Hatters called on Ben Onyshko to get out of the inning. He loaded the bases with a walk before getting Sam Ilario on a sacrifice fly to left, scoring the lone URI run of the night.
 
Gilbert finished his night allowing just the one run on two hits with two walks and 11 strikeouts. It was his fourth double-figure strikeout total in five starts this year.
 
The Hatters answered with a five-run outburst in the bottom of the inning to blow the game open. Meola had an RBI double to plate the first run and then Baylen Sparks delivered a bases loaded triple to center, past a diving Jordan Powell, plating three runs. Sparks then came in to score on a throwing error at the end of the play.
 
Freshman Chris Gonzalez worked a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the win for the Hatters.
 
Koos, Sparks and Hale had two hits each in the game, with Koos scoring three runs and Hale and Sparks driving in three each.
 
For the double-header on Saturday Rhode Island is expected to open with sophomore right-hander Vitaly Jangols (1-2, 5.75) in the early game. The Stetson coaching staff had not made a decision as to who would start the early game as of Friday night.
 
For the nightcap, the Hatters will send junior right-hander Jack Perkins (2-1, 3.97) to the mound. URI was undecided on a starter as of Friday night.
 
Sunday's series finale will get an earlier than expected noon start due to rain expected to move in late in the day and Rhode Island's travel plans for after the game.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.