Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU softball team concluded its 2021 non-conference schedule Sunday, falling to Howard in both ends of a doubleheader, 8-2 in game one and 10-9 in eight innings in game two. The Colonials dip to 5-3 (.625) overall on the 2021 season.
GAME 1 • L, 2-8
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Bison finished with 14 hits and owned a 6-0 advantage through four innings, taking control with four in the third. Kalita Dennis opened the inning with a double and came around to score on an error by the Colonials, one of two miscues in the inning that helped bolster the Bison. Dennis also opened the fourth inning with a double, stole third and came around to score on a Natalie Davila single to right. Dennis finished 3-for-4 with three runs in the opener for Howard.
GETTING TWO BACK
RMU scored both of its runs in the top of the fifth inning. Sophomore
Avery Winchell walked to open the frame and came around to score three batters later on an RBI groundout from sophomore
Danielle Jason. Graduate student
Natalie Higgins plated RMU's second run with a triple to right field that scored junior
Brittney Seibert, who singled up the middle after Winchell's free pass. Higgins and Seibert each went 2-for-3 for the Colonials.
GAME 2 • L, 9-10 (8)
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Howard and RMU tallied 19 runs on 19 hits in the final contest of the four-game series, with the Bison grabbing a 6-3 lead after three innings. The Colonials erupted for five runs in the top of the fourth to grab an 8-6 lead, with Higgins again coming up with the big hit. On a 3-1 pitch with the bases full, she launched her first home run of the season to left for a grand slam to push RMU in front. The Colonials added another in the sixth, with junior
Erika Bell hitting a sacrifice fly to left that scored junior
Kristýna Malá, who opened the frame with a walk.
FINAL KNOT
Howard got three runs back in the home half of the sixth inning to tie the score, 9-9, which helped send the contest to extra innings. Sydni Jones provided a two-run double to get the rally started before Dennis scored on an error for the Bison to knot the score. Jones also game through with the game-winning RBI in the eighth inning, singling to left to score Te'La Beard with the deciding run.
BLITZKRIEG BOP
Higgins collected three more hits in game two of the series against Howard, extending her hitting streak to open the 2021 campaign to eight. She finished 3-for-4 with two runs and four RBI and is now hitting .484 (15-for-31) on the year with team highs in runs (7) and RBI (12). In her last six games, Higgins has posted five multi-hit efforts and is hitting a lightning hot .591 (13-for-22) during that stretch. She will also enter RMU's first games in the Horizon League this week having driven in a run in seven consecutive games.
DON'T BLINK
The Colonials finished 9-for-10 in steals in their opening series of the season at North Carolina Central, and backed that up by going 9-for-10 in stolen base attempts in the four games against Howard. Jason swiped three bags on the weekend and is 4-for-5 on the season, while sophomore
Ariana Garroway has been perfect on each of her three attempts to open the year. Freshman
Julia Ehrman has also posted three stolen bases in four attempts.
UP NEXT
RMU christens its first season in the Horizon League with a pair of home doubleheaders at the North Athletic Complex. The Colonials will square off with Detroit Mercy Friday, March 12, at 2:00 p.m. to open a four-game series. RMU and the Titans will also meet for a doubleheader Saturday, March 13, with first pitch slated for 1:00 p.m.
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