The University of Mary Washington baseball team erupted for an eight-run seventh inning to break open its Thursday contest against the College of New Rochelle, downing the visitors, 17-2, at Dickinson Stadium to even its season record at 1-1.

Senior Mark Smith started the scoring in the first, reaching on an error and scoring on a sacrifice fly from junior Stephen Johnston. The Blue Angels tied the score with an RBI single in the second, but in the bottom of the frame, Mason Riser walked, advanced to second on an error, and scored on a single from Kevin France. New Rochelle tied the score in the third with an unearned run.

The Eagles took the lead for good in the fourth, as Ramsis Ruiz connected for a bases-loaded single to score Christian Hague, and Johnston followed with a bases-loaded walk to plate France.

In the fifth, the Eagles scored four times, wiith four bases loaded walks, and in the seventh, the Eagles used an RBI single from Nicholas Bass to open the gates. Riser followed with a two-run single, and David Slupek followed with an RBI single. After France singled in another run, Smith doubled in two more runs, and Ruiz plated Smith with another double. Riser capped the scoring with an RBI single in the eighth.

Ruiz and France each had three hits for the Eagles, with Riser and Hague each adding two. Riser and France scored three times and drove in three, while Smith and Ruiz also added three RBI apiece.

Junior Joe Thompson gained the win in relief, allowing one hit in 3.1 innings of relief, walking none and striking out six. Bryant White closed out the game with three hitless innings one one-walk, six strikeout relief.

The Eagles will be back in action on Friday at 2 p.m. when they host Montclair State University at Dickinson Stadium.