Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU softball team concluded a three-game series against IUPUI on Easter Sunday at the North Athletic Complex, earning a sweep with a 1-0 triumph over the Jaguars. In earning their fourth consecutive victory, the Colonials improved to 22-13 (.629) overall during the 2022 season, including 11-3 (.786) in the Horizon League.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
RMU got the game's only run in the bottom of the first inning without the aid of a hit, taking advantage of a pair of miscues by IUPUI. Freshman
Alaina Koutsogiani led off by reaching on an error at third by Rachel Gregory and got into scoring position with her 31st stolen base of the year. Fellow rookie
Anna Resnik followed by getting plunked by Madison Bryant of the Jaguars, who was starting her second game of the series. Fifth-year
Erika Bell hit a grounder to second, but Resnik was called safe at second after an error by shortstop Morgan Gilbert, who couldn't cleanly field the ball for the force out. The bases full for sophomore
Charlotte Grover, she jumped on the first offering from Bryant and lifted it down the line in right field. Kendal Calvert caught the ball in foul territory, and it was deep enough to allow Koustogiani to tag up, score and give the Colonials the lead.
THE DUEL
RMU starter
Jane Garver kept IUPUI (9-29 / 6-9 #HLSB) off balance in an efficient start, allowing just four hits while striking out five. She got out of a jam in the fourth inning, as the Jaguars had runners on second and third with one out after a single from Hailey Pop and a double to left center by pinch hitter Ashley Shelton. Garver buckled down, striking out Abbey Haas on a full count before getting Jaylin Calvert to pop up to Grover at short to end the threat.
QUOTABLE
"We have our moments where we're great (defensively), and it's also about what our pitching staff is able to do," RMU head coach
Jexx Varner said. "We've had our hiccups at times in the circle, but we've trusted them all year. They trust in themselves that they're capable of putting up days and weekends like this, where we don't give up a whole lot of runs. The defense is part of that. Backing them up so they can make the pitches and be confident in whatever they're throwing."
THE OTHER SIDE
Bryant was also effective in the circle for IUPUI, holding the Colonials without a hit through five innings. The RMU offense didn't break through until its final at bat of the game when Bell singled through the right side to lead off the sixth, while two batters later redshirt freshman
Meadow Sacadura singled to center. Sophomore
Catalina Saxen drew a free pass with two outs to load the bases, but Bryant was able to strike out pinch hitter
Faith Miller to snuff out an insurance run RMU was in search of.
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Garver got into a pickle in the top half of the sixth, as Gregory opened the frame with a single to center. Maicey Bedrick followed with a chopper back to Garver, who threw to second in an effort to get the lead runner, but Gregory beat the throw. Pop drove the count full before earning the first walk of the afternoon for the Jaguars, loading the bases, and that spelled the end for Garver. Senior
Dana Vatakis came on in relief and jumped ahead of Shelton before she laced a line drive right at junior
Avery Winchell at first. Winchell made the snag with her reflexes and quickly stepped on first for the double play. Vatakis then struck out Haas looking to end the inning.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Garver improved to 3-2 overall during the 2022 season from the circle with her five innings of work, while Vatakis finished up the final two innings in collecting her second save of the campaign. The save by Vatakis marked the second of the series against the Jaguars as well as the sixth of the season as a team by RMU, establishing a new single-season record. Fifth-year
Taylor Rhinehart earned her
fourth save of the year in the opening game of the set with IUPUI, a 3-1 win. The Colonials fashioned an 0.67 earned run average (ERA) in the sweep of the Jaguars, with Vatakis going eight innings without allowing an earned run, striking out 10 and walking just a pair.
UP NEXT
RMU continues an eight-game homestand at the North Athletic Complex Wednesday, April 20, with a Noon doubleheader against Green Bay.
Follow The Colonials: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | RMU Athletics Gameday App
