Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU softball team opened an eight-game homestand at the North Athletic Complex Friday, splitting a doubleheader with Youngstown State. The Colonials fell in game one, 3-0, before earning a 6-5 win in walk-off fashion in eight innings in the nightcap. RMU moves to 22-14 (.611) overall during the 2021 season, including 17-11 (.607) in the Horizon League.
GAME 1 • L, 0-3
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
In a pitching duel, the Penguins got the only run it would need in the top of the fourth inning when Jillian Jakse snapped a scoreless tie by hitting her fourth home run of the season off RMU starter
Madison Riggle. Two batters later, Nikki Saibene jumped on the first pitch she saw from Riggle and connected for another solo shot to put Youngstown State (28-10 / 21-5 #HLSB) on top, 2-0. Riggle pitched an otherwise flawless game for the Colonials, going the distance and striking out five. She induced eight groundouts and eight flyouts on 94 pitches in the contest.
BAFFLING
Elle Buffenberger stayed ahead of RMU hitters in the opening game of the series, matching a season high with 13 strikeouts and registering her ninth game of the 2021 reaching double digits in punch outs. In improving to 14-3 on the year, Buffenberger won her 11th consecutive decision from the circle. She allowed just two hits in the contest, with graduate student
Natalie Higgins lacing a single to right in the bottom of the first and junior
Erika Bell lifting a single to right center in the third. Buffenberger worked around five walks on the afternoon, including two to Higgins, but struck out the top two hitters in the RMU lineup three times each.
GAME 2 • W, 6-5 (8)
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Colonials grabbed an early 3-0 lead in bottom of the second, taking an advantage of a YSU error to score their first run while getting RBI singles from freshmen
Catalina Saxen and
Charlotte Grover. The Penguins answered in the top of the fourth, plating three runs, including an RBI double from Amy Schumacher. The three-run innings by both teams was a sign of things to come as the Colonials went to extra innings for the fifth time on the season.
FEED THE WEEDS
Tied, 3-3, heading into the bottom of the sixth, Riggle led off the frame by launching a 2-2 pitch from Maddi Lusk over the fence in left center to give the Colonials their second lead of the contest, 4-3. RMU was unable to make the lead stand, however, as Saibene opened the top of the seventh for the Penguins with a double to right center. Pinch runner Sydney Payne would come around to score two batters later, sliding in under the tag of Bell after a hot shot to third off the bat of Hailey Niederkohr. Sophomore
Avery Winchell knocked the ball down for the Colonials, but her throw home was just late, allowing the tying run to score.
FREE SOFTBALL
Youngstown State had runners on second and third with one out in the top of the seventh and looked to grab the lead when Milena Lacatena was called on to pinch hit for Yazmine Romero. Lacatena attacked the first pitch she saw from junior
Dana Vatakis and lifted the ball to right field. Junior
Brittney Seibert got under the ball near the line in right for the second out and uncorked a perfect strike to Bell, who tagged Grace Cea out at home for the double play.
EXTRA EXTRA
Schumacher came through again for YSU in the top of the eighth, ripping a single down the right field line on a full count to bring home Lusk, who opened the inning for the Penguins by reaching on an error. Schumacher was the first batter rookie
Jane Garver faced from the circle, as she relieved Vatakis with one out. Garver induced a pop out of Saibene and struck out Cea to end the threat, setting the Colonials up for their first at bat of extra innings.
GROWING UP
Riggle led off the bottom of the eighth by singling to center, but pinch runner
Danielle Jason was forced out at second on a chopper to short from Saxen. Freshman
Faith Miller followed by drawing a five-pitch walk, putting the tying run in scoring position. Lusk settled down and struck out Seibert for the second out of the inning before hitting senior
Alaina York on the first pitch of the next at bat. That loaded the bases for Grover, who wasted no time by slicing a single to right field. Saxen scored the tying run, with Miller sliding in before the throw from Schumacher reached home plate, helping RMU improve to 10-4 (.714) in 2021 in one-run games. Grover, who missed the last two series for the Colonials, finished 2-for-5 with three RBI in the night cap.
UP NEXT
RMU concludes a four-game set with Youngstown State Saturday, April 23, with a doubleheader at the North Athletic Complex. First pitch is slated for 2:30 p.m.
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