GAMES 31-33
RMU (15-15 / 5-2 #HLSB) @ Youngstown State (17-16 / 5-2 #HLSB)
Tuesday, April 11, 2023 • 3:00 p.m. (DH)
Wednesday, April 12, 2023 ­• 3:00 p.m.
Covelli Sports Complex • Youngstown, Ohio
 
Cracker Jack & Sunflower Seeds (Dubble Bubble, Too)
 
- The RMU softball team heads to Youngstown, Ohio, for a midweek series at the Covelli Sports Complex against Youngstown State. The Colonials and Penguins square off for a doubleheader Tuesday, April 11, at 3:00 p.m. and will conclude the series Wednesday, April 12, at 3:00 p.m. with a single game.
 
- RMU posted a record of 5-1 (.833) during a six-game homestand after sweeping a three-game series from Northern Kentucky at the North Athletic Complex last weekend. The Colonials opened the series with a 2-0 win before posting identical scores of 5-0 in both ends of a doubleheader to complete the sweep.
 
- The RMU pitching staff that consists of fifth-year Dana Vatakis, junior Jane Garver and sophomore Madison DeVault combined for 21 shutout innings, yielding just six hits and striking out 25 in the sweep of Northern Kentucky. It marks the first time on record in program history three different pitchers produced three consecutive complete game shutouts for the Colonials.
 
- During its six-game homestand, the trio of DeVault, Garver and Vatakis combined to record an earned run average (ERA) of 0.50, striking out 31 in 42 innings. DeVault and Garver were each 2-0 and did not allow an earned run, striking out 24, including 13 from Garver.
 
- Junior Julia Ehrman started each of RMU's six games during its homestand, hitting .333 (5-for-15) with a a pair of runs, two RBI and a stolen base. Sophomore Anna Resnik drove in three during the homestand for the Colonials, hitting .313 (5-for-16) while scoring two runs, walking twice and getting hit by a pitch on three occasions.
 
- The midweek series between the Colonials and Penguins features the top two pitching staffs in the Horizon League. YSU tops #HLSB in ERA (2.41) and strikeouts (205), while RMU sits second in ERA (3.09) and tops the circuit in shutouts (6), saves (4) and batting average against (.243).
 
- RMU returns five starters from a 2022 squad that finished with an overall record of 31-21 (.596), including a mark of 16-9 (.640) in the Horizon League. The Colonials advanced to the championship game of the 2022 #HLSB Tournament in posting its first 30-win season since 2013.
 
- The Colonials are led by head coach Jexx Varner, who is in his fifth season at the helm of the program. He has posted a record of 93-103 (.474) but since joining the Horizon League RMU has notched an overall record of 71-55 (.563), including a mark of 41-25 (.621) in league play.
 
- In a poll of Horizon League head coaches, the Colonials were picked to finish second in the league in 2023. Oakland was tabbed as the favorite and received eight first-place votes in accruing 77 points, while RMU earned a first-place tally and compiled 68 points.
 
- RMU returns home to the North Athletic Complex after taking on the Penguins, welcoming Purdue Fort Wayne for a three-game series Friday, April 14, and Saturday, April 15.

YOUNGSTOWN STATE LINKS
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The All-Time Series (Youngstown State) – The Colonials and Penguins are no strangers on the diamond, as RMU owns a record of 31-29 (.517) against Youngstown State since 1991. YSU swept the season series from RMU last season, with the Colonials serving as the home team in games played at the Covelli Sports Complex. RMU, however, earned a 4-2 triumph over the Penguins in its first elimination game of the 2022 Horizon League Softball Tournament, which also came at the Covelli Sports Complex. In that contest an RBI single Avery Winchell in the top of the seventh pushed the Colonials in front for good.
 
Victory – Fifth-year Dana Vatakis has found a rhythm in recent weeks, as she enters RMU's three-game series @ Youngstown State having posted a perfect 3-0 record from the circle thus far against Horizon League foes. In those starts she has notched a complete game in each, yielding only an unearned run in 21 frames to go along with 15 strikeouts and four walks. Vatakis is coming off what arguably may be the best start of her career against Northern Kentucky (4/7), as she allowed just one hit while striking out six in a 2-0 win. Opponents are hitting just .220 off Vatakis, which leads #HLSB, while she also ranks fifth in earned run average (2.55) and ninth in strikeouts (55) while pacing the league in saves (3).
 
Zero Res – Sophomore Anna Resnik is in the midst of the best stretch of her young career at the dish over the last month, as she enters RMU's series @ Youngstown State this week having reached base safely in 17 consecutive games. During that span she owns a .333/.492/.444 slash line and has produced three doubles, a triple, 12 runs and 10 RBI while also going 4-for-4 in stolen bases. Resnik leads the Horizon League in times hit by pitch (8) and also ranks in the top 10 in the circuit in on-base percentage (.406), runs (16) and walks (14). The Colonials are 6-2 (.750) since Resnik has moved to the leadoff spot in the batting order.
 
The Notebook – RMU is 14-2 (.875) this season when scoring three or more runs and picked up its first win of the year when scoring two runs or less thanks to a 2-0 victory in the series opener against Northern Kentucky (4/7) … Junior Charlotte Grover is RMU's active leader in games played (114), starts (114) and consecutive starts (92) … Sophomore Alaina Koutsogiani leads the Horizon League in stolen bases (17) and is three thefts shy of tying the RMU career record of 58 … Senior Avery Winchell leads the Horizon League in putouts (197), while Grover tops the circuit in assists (69) and is followed among #HLSB leaders by Koutsogiani (59) and sophomore Anna Resnik (50).
 
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