Providence, R.I.-Senior first baseman Dan Hopkins (Cranston, RI) belted six RBI, while senior second baseman Joan Mustafa (Providence, RI) finished with four hits, as the Rhode Island College baseball team cruised past UMass Dartmouth, 13-3, in Little East Conference action played at Anchorman Field on Tuesday.
 
All nine batters recorded at least one hit for RIC (18-10, 5-3 LEC) as the Anchormen pounded out 18 hits as a team en route to the victory over UMD (13-16, 2-6 LEC). After a four-run outburst from the Anchormen in the bottom of the seventh, the game ended early due to the 10-run rule.
 
The Corsairs opened the game with three runs in the top of the first off of RIC freshman starting pitcher Stephen Lapatin (Cranston, RI) to take an early lead. After a leadoff single from sophomore second baseman Bedward Ortiz (La Vega, D.R.), senior shortstop John Granahan (Hanover, MA) blasted a two-run homer over the left field fence to draw first blood. After freshman first baseman Alex Newton (Saco, ME) ripped a single through the right side, freshman right fielder Luke Bomback (Somerset, MA) launched a two-out double that plated Newton and gave UMD a 3-0 lead.
 
The Anchormen responded in the bottom of the frame as senior catcher J.P. Stone (Narragansett, RI) started the rally with a one-out triple. Dan Hopkins followed with a double down the left field line to drive in Stone for the first run of the inning and soon came around to score moments later on an RBI single from sophomore designated hitter Alex Verrecchia (Cranston, RI).
 
Both offenses were held off the scoreboard for the next couple of innings until the bottom of the fourth when senior shortstop Kyle Allaire (Uxbridge, MA) was hit by a pitch to open the stanza. Allaire took second on a failed pickoff attempt and then reached third on a wild pitch. With one out, senior left fielder Brent Hopkins (Cranston, RI) skied a fly ball to center field that was deep enough to plate Allaire and tie the game at three.
 
The Anchormen bats exploded in the bottom of the fifth to break the game open as the hosts led off the frame with back-to-back singles from Mustafa and junior third baseman Cody Ortega (Kissimmee, FL). After junior center fielder Kevin Carey (Wakefield, RI) lined a single to right field that plated Mustafa, Ortega scored from third on Allaire's bunt single to give RIC a two-run lead. Two batters later, Dan Hopkins punched a one-out single to left field that scored both Carey and Allaire.
 
Heading into the sixth with a 7-4 lead, freshman right fielder Dean Grasso (Cranston, RI) hit a towering solo shot over the center field fence, his fourth round-tripper of the season. The next batter, Mustafa, reached on a single and eventually came around to score on a wild pitch to increase RIC's lead to five.
 
The Anchormen added four more runs in the bottom of the seventh, three of them coming off the bat of Dan Hopkins, who belted a three-run homer to cap off an already  outstanding afternoon. The final run of the game came a few batters later, when Verrecchia scored on an RBI double from Mustafa and gave Rhode Island College a 13-3 lead.
 
Lapatin (4-2) rebounded from a rocky first inning to pick up the win for RIC. The freshman surrendered three runs off seven hits and two walks through 4.1 innings of work, while striking out three.
 
Senior pitcher Mike DeWald (Hope Valley, RI) stymied the Corsairs in relief of Lapatin, as he allowed just two hits, while walking none and striking out five through 2.2 scoreless innings.
 
Freshman pitcher Nick Carafa (Mansfield, MA) was saddled with loss (1-5) after relieving UMD freshman starting pitcher Nate Farias (Fall River, MA) midway through the second inning.
 
Dan Hopkins bolstered the RIC offense with a 3-for-4 performance at the dish. The senior first baseman notched two doubles, a homer, six RBI and a pair of runs scored. Mustafa also had a banner day as he went 4-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI, and two runs scored.
 
Allaire went 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored, while Stone went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and two runs scored. Verrecchia and Grasso also finished with a pair of hits, an RBI, and a run scored as well.
 
Granahan went 2-for-4 with a homer, two RBI and a run scored to pace the UMD offense, while Ortiz and Newton each finished 2-for-3 with a run scored. 
 
In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will host Curry College at Anchorman Field on Thursday, April 19 in non-conference action (3:30 p.m.).