Rhode Island
The best softball team in RI played the best softball team from Massachusetts. Here’s who won

Tony Natale seals La Salle’s 11-7 win over Hendricken with a strikeout
The La Salle Rams top the Bishop Hendricken Hawks 11-7 in a Division I showdown in Warwick on May 16.
The best softball team in Rhode Island is beatable.
It just takes the best team in Massachusetts to do it.
Saturday was as good as it gets for local softball as La Salle, the two-time defending Rhode Island state champ, hosted Taunton, the four-time Massachusetts state champion. The Rams struck first, but came apart in the sixth and the Tigers took advantage to pull out the 7-4 win.
Both teams are favored to win state titles in their respective states this spring and both arrived at Brown University with impressive win streaks. Taunton’s last loss came on May 22, 2023, a 1-0 defeat at the hands of rival King Philip. La Salle’s last defeat came almost one month earlier, an 8-5 loss to Cranston West on April 24, 2023. Something had to give.
The Rams wasted no time in getting on the board first and it wasn’t a surprise to see how it happened. Phoenyx Silva, the three-time All-Stater headed to the University of Iowa to play next spring, got caught behind 1-2 in the count, kept the at-bat going, then hit a ball to the moon, a solo homer to make it 1-0 after the first inning.
Taunton miscues helped La Salle add to the lead in the third. Leading off the third, Samantha Sell was drilled by Tiger starter Catherine Larson and after a groundout, Alivia Barry reached on a misplayed ball by second baseman Madison Crowley.
Diana Hall followed with a single and that Silva managed to score on. Lily Roumelis followed with a groundout that made it 3-0.
The lead looked safe. Through five innings, La Salle starter Hailey Vigneau was cooking the Tigers. Outside of a one-out triple in the first inning – which Vigneau escaped from after getting two soft pop-outs to end the inning – Taunton struggled to do much with anything Vigneau had to offer. After the triple by Mia Torres, Vigneau retired 14 of the next 16 Taunton hitters.
Things changed drastically in the sixth.
A bloop single by Corraro got things started. Torres followed with an infield single and Bella Bourque’s fly ball to center was misread, booted, and wasn’t picked up, allowing two runs to score.
Bailey followed with a single to left on another misread ball and after an out, Larson drew a walk and a single by Gracie Oliveira loaded the bases. Ashlyn Hebert hit a hard grounder to third that Silva fielded cleanly and fired home, but Samantha Sell couldn’t come up with the play at the plate and Bailey came in with the go-ahead run.
Vigneau followed with a huge strikeout, but Victoria Corraro ripped a triple to left field that cleared the bases to make it 7-3.
La Salle tried to rally in the bottom half, but Kayleigh Ventura’s leadoff single was erased on a double play on a nice snag by Oliveira, who stepped on the bag for the second out. Kershaw followed with a triple and Vigneau hit a single to bring her in, but the scoring stopped there for La Salle.
Larson was at her best when Taunton needed her most. Facing the top of the La Salle order – Alivia Ring, Silva and Diana Hall – Larson induced a groundout, a soft liner and a groundout that ended the game. Larson finished the day spreading out seven hits over seven innings while giving up three earned runs and striking out five.
The loss will serve a fuel to La Salle’s fire as it finishes the regular season this week. Tuesday the Rams host Smithfield, a team that gave the Rams a scare in a 3-1 game on Opening Day, before closing the regular season at Pilgrim on Thursday.
La Salle has already secured the No. 1 seed for the upcoming Division I playoffs.

Rhode Island
Providence man arrested in connection to narcotics and firearms investigation | ABC6

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Rhode Island State Police said a Providence man was arrested after police allegedly discovered multiple narcotics and a gun inside two residences on Sept. 23.
47-year-old Joel Garcia was charged with possession with the intent to deliver over 1 kilogram of fentanyl, possession with the intent to deliver over 1 kilogram of cocaine, possession with the intent to deliver one ounce to one kilogram of methamphetamine, possession with the intent to deliver fentanyl, possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine, possession of a firearm while committing a controlled substance violation, unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and distribution of a controlled substance in a school zone.
According to RISP, police received court-authorized search warrants for two residences in Providence in connection to a narcotics and firearms investigation.
Inside an apartment on Dresser Street, police allegedly seized 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl, 2.3 kilograms of cocaine, and 147 grams of methamphetamine.
Police also searched Garcia’s residence on Portland Street and allegedly seized one fully loaded pistol.
According to police, Garcia had allegedly used the apartment on Dresser Street to “store, package, and distribute large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine.”
Garcia was arrested and charged.
RISP, Providence police, Cranston police, North Providence police, Johnston police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Rhode Island National Guard Counterdrug Program assisted in the investigation.
Rhode Island
The Ocean State’s Bond With Robert Redford

Millions have been mourning the death of a cinematic icon over the last week with the passing of Robert Redford at age 89.
The award-winning actor is arguably one of the most famous of all time. With over 70 films to his credit on screen and nine he directed throughout his career, Redford’s work in cinema stands out as some of the greatest.
Though only two of Redford’s movies were ever filmed in Rhode Island, the Oscar-winning actor has a deep connection with the Ocean State.
Redford’s Family Roots Near Rhode Island
Though no Redfords actually lived in Rhode Island, Robert’s family was longtime residents of Stonington, CT and several members were born in nearby Westerly, RI.
READ MORE: ‘Sopranos’ Star Officially Becomes a Rhode Island Resident
Throughout Robert Redford’s childhood there were visits to his grandparents in Stonington, where his grandfather worked as a milkman.
Presumably this time in Stonington meant crossing the state line into Westerly on more than one occasion in his youth and perhaps led to his love of the Rhode Island seaside in later years.
Filming The Great Gatsby in Newport
During his career, Redford came to Newport in the 1970s to film The Great Gatsby at the historic Rosecliff Mansion. Decades later he returned to Rhode Island with the science fiction film The Discovery and even wrote a thank you letter to Newport, praising their preservation efforts in the city.
READ MORE: HGTV Says You Need to Drive This Road in Newport
Though when he did ultimately settle in New England, Redford chose Weston, CT as his home for almost two decades. He purchased a home not too far from his close friend and fellow actor, Paul Newman.
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
Rhode Island Honors Robert Redford
Rhode Island never forgot its ties to the beloved actor however. In 2002 Redford was asked to be the commencement speaker at Brown University and that same year Trinity Repertory Company awarded him a Pell Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts.
Just one of the many lifetime achievement awards Robert Redford would go on to accumulate during his illustrious career.
20 Stars Who Hail From Rhode Island
Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the nation, but it has been home to many celebrities. Though some have moved here, filmed here or attended school here, only a handful were actually born here. These are those celebrities.
Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall
Academy Award and Golden Globe Winners from Massachusetts
These Massachusetts natives have taken home some of Hollywood’s top honors.
Gallery Credit: Michaela Johnson
30 Things To Do in Newport Any Time of Year
Newport has always been seen as a summer destination. Wealthy New Yorkers used to escape the city in the hotter months for this picturesque seaside spot and the label as a summer vacation destination began.
There are, however, plenty of things to do in this historic town in any season and we’ve found a few that you may want to try the next time you head to Newport.
Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall
Rhode Island
GoLocalProv | Sports | VIDEO: Providence’s Lassiter Scores 44-Yard TD in Vanderbilt’s Upset Over #11 South Carolina

Sunday, September 14, 2025
Zell Lassiter
PHOTO: Via Vanderbilt
Providence’s Jamezell Lassiter had a big play on a huge stage on Saturday when Vanderbilt football upset #11 South Carolina. SEE 7:25 MARK.
Lassiter, who played for the Edgewood Eagles and the Mount Hope Cowboys and attended the San Miguel School in Providence, smoked the Gamecocks on a 44-yard touchdown score.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE — SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
Vanderbilt won 31-7 over No. 11 South Carolina, snapping a 16-game losing streak between the two programs.
Zell Lassiter PHOTO: Vanderbilt Athletics
In 2024, GoLocal sports columnist Robert McMahon wrote about Lassiter’s journey to the top Division I program:
His athletic skills impressed his San Miguel classmates. Flag football, soccer, basketball—Jamezell could do it all. He was a natural athlete.
But the transformation of Zell, as he likes to be called, happened in the San Miguel classroom.
READ MORE HERE
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