PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Interstat) — Jack Edmunds’ three-run homer in the second inning erased an early deficit and sparked the Brown Bears to a 7-5 comeback victory over the Rhode Island Rams in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday at Murray Stadium.

The win improved Brown to 3-5 this season, while Rhode Island’s struggles deepened as they fell to 0-12.

The Rams struck first, building a 5-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Jack Hopko led off the frame with a solo home run to left-center field off Brown starter Drew Nelson. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded, Rhode Island second baseman Scott Penney cleared them with a three-run double down the left-field line.

Brown responded immediately in the bottom half against Rams starter Tommy Turner. After an error and a walk, Edmunds, the Bears’ catcher, launched a three-run homer down the left-field line to cut the deficit to 5-3. The Bears then tied the game in the third. Alex Benevento singled, advanced to third on a DJ Dillehay double and scored on a Mark Henshon groundout. Dillehay later scored on a wild pitch.

Brown took the lead for good in the fifth. Henshon singled and scored on Christian Butera’s RBI triple down the left-field line. Butera then crossed the plate on another wild pitch, this one from Rhode Island reliever Parker Aikens, to make it 6-5.

The Bears added a critical insurance run in the sixth. With the bases loaded, Dillehay was hit by a pitch from reliever Jake Cullen, forcing in Matt Luigs to extend the lead to 7-5.

Rhode Island threatened in the seventh, loading the bases with one out against reliever Dylan Reid. A sacrifice fly by Thompson scored a run, but Reid induced a pop-up to end the game and strand the tying runs.

Nelson earned the win for Brown despite allowing five runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. Reid secured the save with 1 2/3 innings of relief, allowing one run. Turner took the loss for Rhode Island, charged with four runs, three earned, on two hits in 3 2/3 innings.

The most important sequence of the game was Edmunds’ second-inning home run. Facing a 5-0 hole and the momentum entirely with the visiting Rams, Edmunds’ swing instantly transformed the game’s complexion. It halved the large deficit, energized the Bears’ dugout and shifted pressure back onto a Rhode Island team that has found victories elusive this season. The homer ignited Brown’s offense, which scored in each of the next four innings to complete the comeback.