Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU softball team reached the 20-win plateau for the first time in five years Friday, recording a doubleheader sweep of IUPUI at Indianapolis, Ind., at the IUPUI Softball Complex. The Colonials improved to 20-12 (.625) overall, including 15-9 (.625) in the Horizon League, by earning a 5-3 win in game one and a 3-2 triumph in eight innings in game two over the Jaguars.
GAME 1 • W, 5-3
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Knotted, 3-3, heading into the top of the fifth, graduate student
Natalie Higgins worked the count full and spoiled a pitch before singling through the right side with one out. Junior
Erika Bell followed by jumping on the first pitch she saw from IUPUI starter Lexi Lucas and sending it over the fence in right center to give RMU a 5-3 advantage. It helped settle a back-and-forth affair, as the contest featured three one-run leads and ties, with the Bell round tripper providing the difference.
THANK YOU, JACKIE
The first hit of the contest came courtesy of Higgins, who went the opposite way for a double to right center with two outs in the top of the first inning. It marked career double No. 42 for the Middletown, Ohio, native, helping her establish a new RMU career record in the category. Higgins surpassed former Colonial Lauren Dickinson, who compiled 41 career doubles between 1998 and 2001.
DOUBLE GEM MINT
The double was part of a 3-for-4 performance in game one for Higgins, who stretched her hitting streak to 10 games. Her final hit of the contest was also a double and marked career hit No. 200. Higgins is just the fourth RMU student-athlete in program history to reach the threshold and the first since Jordan Gurganus (2014-17) established the RMU career record for hits with 250. On the 2021 season, Higgins owns 18 multi-hit games, including five in which she finished with three hits.
SEAL THE DEAL
Sophomore
Rachael Rhinehart earned the win from the circle for the Colonials to improve to 6-2 in 2021, while freshman
Jane Garver locked down her first collegiate save by closing the contest with three no-hit innings. She entered in the bottom of the fifth after Rhinehart opened the frame by issuing a pair of free passes, but Garver got out of the jam by striking out the first batter she faced on three pitches and ending the inning by getting Morgan Gilbert to fly out to left.
GAME 1 • W, 3-2 (8)
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
RMU grabbed a 2-1 lead in the top of fourth when senior
Alaina York raced around third and scored on an RBI single to shortstop by freshman
Faith Miller. York had opened the inning with a walk and stole second. IUPUI (9-22 / 7-14 #HLSB) answered in the bottom of the sixth, as Abbey Haase led off the inning with a solo shot to left to tie the score, 2-2, off RMU starter
Dana Vatakis.
EXTRA EXTRA
Higgins opened extra innings with a four-pitch walk to put the go-ahead runner on for the Colonials. Bell followed by pushing the perfect bunt past third baseman Rachael Gregory, forcing pitcher Jennah Speth to make a play. Speth had to rush to get Bell charging down the first base line, and the throw was off the mark, rolling down the line in right field. Higgins raced around the bases to score the go-ahead run, while Bell advanced to third. Speth settled down after the errant throw, striking out freshman
Avery Winchell, getting graduate student
Madison Riggle to pop out to second and inducing a comebacker from Rhinehart.
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
Vatakis got Haas to ground out to third to open the bottom of the eighth before walking Gregory and Hailey Pop, putting the tying run in scoring position. Vatakis shook off the free passes, getting Victoria Sivert to ground out to second and clinching the win on the first pitch to Gilbert with a comebacker to the circle. Vatakis tossed 142 pitches in improving to 9-5 on the year, one off a season high. She scattered eight hits and four walks while striking out eight.
THE EARLY LEAD
RMU grabbed the early lead, 1-0, thanks to the first collegiate home run for Winchell, who sent a 1-0 pitch over the fence in right field. The rookie has now hit safely in five of her last six games, hitting .417 (7-for-17) with three runs, three RBI, a double, home run and two stolen bases during that span. Higgins, meanwhile, had her hitting streak snapped at 10 by finishing 0-for-3 in game two. The 10-game surge marked the fourth hitting streak of 10 games or longer during her career but was one game shy of her career high of 11.
UP NEXT
The Colonials conclude their four-game set with IUPUI Saturday with a doubleheader slated to begin at Noon.
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