Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU softball team returned to Horizon League play Friday, sweeping a doubleheader from UIC in Chicago, Ill., at Flames Field. The Colonials posted an 8-1 victory in the opener before earning a 13-7 triumph in game two. RMU moved its overall record on the 2022 campaign to 16-9 (.640) while improving to 5-0 in conference play for the first time since 2017.
GAME 1 • W, 8-1
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Junior
Dana Vatakis was in control from the start inside the circle, as RMU gave her an early 1-0 advantage even before she took the ball. Freshman
Anna Resnik singled to left two batters in and two batters later came around to score on an RBI double from fifth-year
Taylor Rhinehart. Vatakis scattered three hits in a complete-game effort, allowing an unearned run, which came after the Colonials had built an 8-0 lead. She didn't walk a batter and struck out seven while inducing 12 ground balls to improve to 4-3 on the year from the circle.
RECORD BREAKER
RMU grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning, and freshman
Alaina Koutsogiani made history in the process. She opened the inning with a bunt single and stole second before moving to third on a single to right from Resnik. On the first pitch of the next at bat, the Colonials used a double steal to their advantage, with Resnik swiping second and Koutsogiani home. Thanks to the pair of thefts in the inning, Koutsogiani pushed her season total in stolen bases to 24, establishing a new RMU single-season record. She broke the mark of 23 held by Kelli Miller (1990-93), who accomplished the feat in 1990 as a rookie.
THINK PROGRESSIVE
The run in the third inning for the Colonials marked the first of four consecutive frames RMU pushed runs across the plate to grab an 8-0 lead. Koutsogiani and freshman
Jess Matheny each drove in a run during the outburst, while sophomore
Charlotte Grover provided an RBI single in the sixth. The Colonials also took advantage of three errors by the Flames, as five of the eight runs allowed by UIC were unearned. Koutsogiani, Resnik and Rhinehart each finished 2-for-5 in the victory for RMU.
GAME 2 • W, 13-7
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Using her speed in the game one victory, Koutsogiani provided the pop in game two, leading off the contest with her first NCAA Division I home run to stake the Colonials to an early 1-0 lead. The Flames (4-18 / 1-6 #HLSB) answered by jumping in front, 2-1, with a pair of runs off RMU starter
Rachael Rhinehart in the home half of the first and grabbed a 3-1 advantage in third thanks to an RBI double from Jojo Santiago. The Colonials moved ahead for good with four runs in the top of the fourth, punctuated by a two-run shot to left from Koutsogiani that gave RMU a 5-3 lead. Prior to the second dinger from the rookie infielder, sophomore
Faith Miller knotted the game with an RBI double that brought home freshman
Bailee Bertani.
MORE RUNS
Playing in the midst of snow squalls, the Colonials added five runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh to open up a 13-3 cushion. The double steal was again on display in the sixth.
Taylor Rhinehart opened the inning with a walk, with sophomore
Julia Ehrman subbing in to pinch run. She moved to third when fifth-year
Alaina York reached on an error by Macia Ingles, advancing to second on an errant throw. The Colonials tried a suicide squeeze on a bunt by Koutsogiani, but Ehrman was cut down at the plate. With York on third, Koutsogiani stole second and York trotted home with the first of five runs in the frame. The Colonials also received an RBI triple from Resnik and an RBI single from senior
Erika Bell in the sixth, while RMU added three more in the seventh, including a bases loaded walk from Bell and an RBI single to center from sophomore
Catalina Saxen.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
The top four hitters in the order for RMU in game two finished 10-for-18 (.556) at the dish, scoring seven runs and driving in six. Koutsogiani finished 3-for-5 with four runs and three RBI, Resnik also went 3-for-5 with two runs and one driven in while Bell and
Taylor Rhinehart each collected a pair of hits.
Rachael Rhinehart earned the win in the circle, striking out four in 3.1 innings, while
Taylor Rhinehart came on in relief and allowed three hits while striking out one in 2.2 innings.
GROOVY
Bell and
Taylor Rhinehart each stretched their hitting streaks to seven games Friday against the Flames, while Koutsogiani has hit safely in each of her last five contests. Through its first five contests against #HLSB foes this season, RMU has produced a .363/.419/.570 slash line in scoring 49 runs, tops in the circuit.
Taylor Rhinehart leads the Horizon League against conference opposition in batting average (.545) while ranking second in on-base + slugging percentage (OPS) at 1.545.
UP NEXT
Thanks to March going out like a lion, the rubber match between RMU and UIC scheduled for Saturday, March 26, has been postponed. The two coaching staffs will huddle Saturday morning and make a determination if the three-game series can be concluded Sunday, March 27.
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