Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU softball team concluded a four-game series with IUPUI Saturday in Indianapolis, Ind., at the IUPUI Softball Complex, splitting a doubleheader. The Colonials posted a 4-3 win in game one before dropping the series finale, 5-4. In taking three out of four in the series, RMU moves to 21-13 (.618) overall in 2021, including 16-10 (.615) in the Horizon League.
GAME 1 • W, 4-3
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Colonials fell behind, 2-0, when the Jaguars plated a pair in the bottom of the third inning, but RMU wasted no time grabbing the lead right back, scoring three in the top of the fourth. Freshman
Faith Miller reached on a fielding error with one out, and graduate student
Natalie Higgins capitalized, pushing the count full before launching her ninth home run of the season to left to tie the contest, 2-2. Two batters later freshman
Avery Winchell went yard for the second time in as many games, as her solo shot to center pushed the Colonials in front.
THE MIDDLE
IUPUI (10-23 / 8-15 #HLSB) scored an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth to tie the contest, 3-3, before the Colonials jumped right back in front in their next opportunity at the dish. The middle of the order was in the middle of the rally again for RMU. Higgins hit a double with one out, and junior
Erika Bell followed with a double of her own, this one to left center, to plate the eventual game-winning run. The trio of Higgins, Bell and Winchell combined to go 4-for-9 in the victory with three runs and four RBI, with Higgins finishing 2-for-3 with a pair of runs and two RBI.
ROLAIDS
Rachael Rhinehart earned the win for the Colonials from the circle in relief of freshman starter
Jane Garver. The sophomore improved to 7-2 on the season by allowing just one hit in three innings of work, striking out a pair. Rhinehart has won four consecutive decisions for RMU, a stretch in which she has made six appearances and is 4-0 with a 2.37 earned run average and a save.
GAME 2 • L, 4-5
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
IUPUI avoided a four-game sweep by scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to turn a 4-1 deficit into a walk-off victory. Rachael Gregory opened the inning with a single, and Hailey Pop followed by reaching on an error. Maicey Bedrick capitalized for the Jaguars, hitting a three-run home run to tie the game, 4-4. IUPUI continued its surge, as Jasmin Speth drew a walk, Jaida Speth followed with a double to put runners on second and third and Lauren Youngblood drew a free pass to load the bases. Junior
Dana Vatakis came on in relief for the Colonials, but she allowed a single to Morgan Gilbert to score Jasmin Speth with the winning run.
HELPING THE CAUSE
RMU fell behind the Jaguars, 1-0, but opened up a 4-1 lead with two runs in each of the top half of the fourth and fifth innings. The Colonials scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fourth, and in the fifth Winchell opened the frame by walking on four pitches. Graduate student
Madison Riggle followed with a two-run home run to left, her sixth of the season. Winchell, meanwhile, finished 1-for-3 in game two, stretching her hitting streak to five games. The surge has featured the first two home runs of her collegiate career while posting an average of .375 (6-for-16).
TRUE OR DREAM
The Jaguars scored first in three of the four games, and three of the four contests were decided by one run. During the month of April, eight of RMU's 12 contests have been decided by one run, while two others were decided by a pair of runs. In those 10 games the Colonials own a record of 8-2 (.800).
UP NEXT
RMU will conclude the home portion of its 2021 regular season with an eight-game homestand at the North Athletic Complex. The Colonials first welcome Youngstown State for a four-game series Friday, April 23, and Saturday, April 24. The Penguins swept a four-game series from Oakland this weekend and sit in first place in the Horizon League with a 20-4 (.833) league mark.
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