Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU softball team concluded a four-game series with Youngstown State Saturday at the North Athletic Complex, earning its second consecutive split in walk-off fashion in extra innings. The Colonials dropped a 3-0 decision in game one before rebounding to post a 2-1 victory in game two in eight innings. RMU owns an overall record of 23-15 (.605) on the 2021 season, including 18-12 (.600) in the Horizon League.
GAME 1 • L, 0-3
CARBON COPY
Just as in the first game of the series, Elle Buffenbarger continued her mastery of RMU in game one Saturday. Despite issuing a career-high seven walks, Buffenbarger worked out of numerous jams throughout the contest, including leaving the bases full of Colonials in the bottom of the second of a scoreless game. She struck out five and allowed four hits in improving to 15-3 on the 2021 campaign as well as winning her 12th consecutive decision from the circle.
OPPORTUNITIES
The Colonials stranded 12 runners in the contest, two off a season high and just the third time during the 2021 season RMU has left more than 10 runners on base in a game. Trailing, 2-0, in the bottom of the fifth, graduate student
Natalie Higgins led off the frame with a single before junior
Erika Bell drew a walk on four pitches. The Colonials couldn't capitalize, however, with sophomore
Avery Winchell popping out on a bunt attempt, graduate student
Madison Riggle lining out to right center and sophomore
Rachael Rhinehart going down swinging.
THE SCORING
Youngstown State scored a run in the top half of the third, fourth and sixth innings, only two of which were earned. Yazmine Romero scored on a wild pitch in the third to open the scoring, then produced an RBI single an inning later that brought home Niki Saibene, who doubled to lead off the frame. Maddi Lusk capped the scoring in the top of the sixth with two outs, working the count full before connecting for a shot that cleared the fence in left field, her fifth home run of the year.
GAME 2 • W, 2-1 (8)
CARBON COPY
A pair of masterful pitching performances was only spotlighted by the fact that of the three runs in the contest, none were earned. Youngstown State (29-11 / 22-6 #HLSB) struck for its only run in the first inning. Lusk laced a single to right that junior
Brittney Seibert couldn't field cleanly, allowing Lusk to race to third. Two batters later a wild pitch from junior
Dana Vatakis allowed Lusk to give the Penguins a 1-0 advantage. RMU got the run back in the bottom of the second. Riggle hit a one-out triple to right center and scored when Alex DeLeon couldn't handle a shot off the bat of Winchell, tying the contest, 1-1.
CRUISING
Romero tapped a single in front of home plate with two outs in the fifth and promptly stole second, but Vatakis got out of the inning by striking out Lusk swinging. It began a stretch in which she retired nine consecutive Penguins, including three on strikes. Lusk finally snapped the streak with two outs in the top of the eighth inning by drawing a walk on four pitches, but Vatakis was unfazed, striking out pinch hitter Milena Lacatena on three pitches. Vatakis allowed just three hits from the circle, striking out eight while walking four. She induced 10 groundouts while improving to 10-5 on the season.
WHEN THE NIGHT COMES FALLING
Heading to the bottom of the eighth and daylight fleeting, Higgins opened the inning by reaching on an error by DeLeon. Junior
Kristýna Malá pinch ran for Higgins and was forced out at second on a chopper from Bell. However, in trying to turn the double play for YSU, the throw from Christy Tatum was off the mark, allowing Bell to advance to second. Riggle fell behind in the count, 0-2, before ripping a single up the middle. Bell raced around third to score the winning run, sending RMU to its second walk-off triumph in as many days.
LETHAL WEAPON
Riggle finished 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI in the victory for the Colonials, notching her second career three-hit game. Riggle has hit safely in eight of her last 11 games, producing at least two hits in five of those contests. During that stretch, Riggle is hitting .361 (13-for-36) with five runs, three home runs, seven RBI and a triple. She is also one of four Colonials to start each of RMU's 18 games at home in 2021, owning a slash line .316/.350/.544 at the North Athletic Complex.
WHERE WE STAND
RMU sits in fourth place in the
Horizon League standings based on conference winning percentage. Oakland is 18-10 (.643) against #HLSB foes, just ahead of RMU's .600 winning percentage. The Colonials finished the 2021 regular season with a record of 7-5 (.583) against the three teams in front of them in the standings, taking three of four from Oakland while splitting four-game sets with UIC and Youngstown State. Green Bay sits in fifth place in the standings, two and-a-half games behind RMU.
UP NEXT
The Colonials conclude an eight-game homestand at the North Athletic Complex by hosting Northern Kentucky for a four-game series Friday, April 30, and Saturday, May 1. Prior to the final doubleheader against the Norse, RMU will honor its seniors with Senior Day festivities.
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