Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU softball team improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2014 Friday by sweeping its second doubleheader in as many days in Cary, N.C., over North Carolina Central. The Colonials earned a 10-4 triumph in game one and completed the sweep with another 10-4 win in game two.
GAME 1 • W, 10-4
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
RMU put up 10 runs for the second consecutive game on the strength of a balanced offense, with eight of the nine starters for the Colonials recording at least one hit. The Eagles scored in the bottom of the second to grab an early 1-0 advantage courtesy of an RBI single from Olivia Daniel, but RMU answered by plating six runs in the top of the third. Senior
Alaina York pushed the Colonials in front with a single up the middle that drove in a pair, while freshman
Catalina Saxen capped it with a two-run double.
ADDING ON
RMU added three more runs in the fifth, with sophomore
Avery Winchell providing an RBI single and junior
Brittney Seibert a two-run double. In the seventh, senior
Madison Riggle connected for her first home run of 2021, a solo shot that led off the inning. Riggle earned the win from the pitching circle, her first of the year.
BALANCE
Winchell, senior
Natalie Higgins and junior
Erika Bell each recorded multi-hit efforts as the Colonials finished with 11 hits. Higgins and Bell each went 2-for-4 with a run and RBI, while Winchell was 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored. Winchell and freshman
Julia Ehrman each stole a base for RMU.
GAME 2 • W, 10-4
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Colonials started strong to complete the sweep, scoring four times in the top of the opening frame, all with two outs. York singled to right with one out and then stole second before Higgins went struck out looking. Riggle followed with an RBI double to plate York, and RMU took advantage of an error to add three more runs.
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
Junior
Dana Vatakis went the distance to improve to 2-0 on the 2021 campaign in helping the Colonials complete their second straight sweep of North Carolina Central. She allowed seven hits and four earned runs but struck out five while issuing a pair of free passes. The Eagles scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning to trim their deficit to 4-2, but Vatakis limited North Carolina Central to four hits the rest of the way.
BEEN AWHILE
Thanks to 10 runs in both games of its sweep Friday, the Colonials have now scored at least 10 runs in three consecutive games for the first time since 1997. Another balanced attack offensively for RMU was led by York, who posted the first three-hit game of the 2021 season in the nightcap. She went 3-for-4, scoring a pair of runs. Saxen went 1-for-4 with a pair of runs and an RBI and through her first four collegiate games has hit .385 (5-for-13) with five runs and four RBI.
UP NEXT
RMU continues its non-conference schedule with a pair of doubleheaders in Washington, D.C., Saturday, March 6, and Sunday, March 7. The Colonials will take on Howard at Nationals Youth Academy, with first pitch scheduled for Noon each day.
Photo credit: North Carolina Central University
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