Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU softball team dropped a 7-2 decision to Pitt Wednesday night at Vartabedian Field in non-conference action. Originally slated to be played at the North Athletic Complex to open a six-game homestand, the tilt was moved to Oakland after recent weather left field conditions unplayable. The Colonials own an overall record of 16-10 (.615) on the 2022 campaign.
FAST START
RMU jumped ahead early, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning. Senior
Erika Bell drew a walk off Pitt starter Dani Drogemuller after freshman
Anna Resnik reached on an error. Fifth-year
Taylor Rhinehart took advantage of the duck on the pond, lacing a single to bring home Resnik with the first run of the contest. Sophomore
Charlotte Grover followed with a single to right, scoring Bell and giving RMU a 2-0 advantage.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
RMU starter
Jane Garver kept the Panthers in check through three innings, allowing a run on three hits, before Pitt plated three in the fourth to grab a 4-2 lead. Bailey Drapola provided the go-ahead RBI, as her two-run single scored both Kayla Lane and Kylie Griggs. Lane opened the frame by singling and after being moved to second on a sacrifice bunt stole third. Griggs drew a walk off Garver and followed by stealing second, setting up Drapola for the eventual game-winning RBI. The Panthers added another run thanks to consecutive doubles from Yvonne Whaley and Sarah Seamans.
PLEAD THE FIFTH
Pitt added three more in the bottom of the fifth inning to settle the final score off senior
Dana Vatakis, who came on in relief of Garver in the bottom of the fourth. Vatakis struck out five Panthers and did not walk a batter. Dating back to the first game of a doubleheader @ Detroit Mercy (3/17) that opened Horizon League play for the Colonials, Vatakis has faced 48 consecutive batters without issuing a free pass. Garver fell to 1-2 (.333) on the year in the circle, allowing four runs in 3.2 innings. She struck out a pair and walked four. Both Garver and Vatakis each allowed six hits Wednesday against Pitt.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Bell reached base safely in each of her four trips to the plate Wednesday against the Panthers, finishing 2-for-2 with a double, a pair of walks and a run. She stretched her hitting streak to eight games, the longest this season by a member of the Colonials. During that span Bell has hit .444 (12-for-27) with three doubles, five runs and eight RBI. She's also drawn eight walks in the last six contests. Joining Bell with an eight-game hitting surge is Rhinehart, who finished 1-for-4 with an RBI Wednesday. Over her last eight contests, Rhinehart owns a .469 (15-for-32) average with seven runs, 10 RBI and seven knocks that have gone for extra bases.
UP NEXT
RMU returns to Horizon League play Friday, April 1, when it welcomes Cleveland State to the North Athletic Complex for the opener of a three-game series. First pitch from the North Athletic Complex is set for 3:00 p.m.
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