Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU softball team picked up a doubleheader split Friday at the North Athletic Complex against Purdue Fort Wayne, falling in game one, 3-1, before earning a 4-2 victory in game two. The Colonials own an overall record of 17-18 (.486) during the 2023 season, including 7-5 (.583) in the Horizon League.
GAME 1 • L, 1-3
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Mastodons picked up three in the top of the fifth to snap a 25-inning scoreless drought for opponents at the North Athletic Complex. On the first pitch of the frame from junior
Jane Garver, Brooke Lickey was hit by a pitch. Bailey Manos followed with a double to center to put a pair of runners in scoring position for Purdue Fort Wayne. Taryn Jenkins would put the Mastodons on the board with an RBI single that brought home Lickey for the first run of the contest. Garver steadied, getting an assist thanks to a web gem at third on a diving stab by sophomore
Alaina Koutsogiani while also striking out Grace Hollopeter for the second out. Sophomore
Madison DeVault was called on for the Colonials, but Epiphany Hang laced a single to right to score a pair and give Purdue Fort Wayne a 3-0 edge.
OFF BALANCE
Gracie Brinkerhoff kept RMU off balance until the bottom of the sixth, as junior
Charlotte Grover doubled down the line in left to open the inning. Two batters later redshirt sophomore
Meadow Sacadura traded places with Grover, doubling to right center to make it 3-1. Alanah Jones got the call for the Mastodons and got out of the inning with Colonials on second and third, as Brooke Lickey flashed the leather at third. Her diving stop on a liner from pinch hitter
Catalina Saxen kept Purdue Fort Wayne in front by a pair of runs.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Sophomore
Anna Resnik, who had her streak for consecutive games safely reaching base snapped at 19 Wednesday at Youngstown State, finished 4-for-4 in the opener Friday against Purdue Fort Wayne. It marks the first time an RMU student-athlete collected four hits in a game since former outfielders Natalie Higgins (2017-21) and Brianna Bunner (2017-20) each went 4-for-5 in the second game of a doubleheader @ Saint Francis (4/6/19), a 12-4 victory for the Colonials.
GAME 2 • W, 4-2
DOCTOR JONES
Jones picked up the save in game one and earned the start in the nightcap, striking out five in the first three innings of game two as the Mastodons grabbed a 2-0 edge. The Colonials were able to cut their deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth. Koutsogiani ripped a triple to right center with one out, and sophomore
Jess Matheny brought the run home with a single to right. Junior
Faith Miller followed by drawing a walk, but Jones got out of the jam by inducing a double play from Saxen.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
RMU's patience paid off in the fifth, as the Colonials scored three runs with the aid of an error by the Mastodons. Junior
Julia Ehrman reached on the miscue by Tori Countryman at short to open the frame, but Jones threw three pitches and got a pair of outs. Resnik flew out to center before Sacadura popped out. Grover was then hit by a pitch, putting a pair of runners on. Senior
Avery Winchell, earning her first two starts since RMU's non-conference sweep of Kent State earlier this month, worked the count full before drilling a double to right center that brought home a pair and pushed the Colonials in front, 3-2. Koutsogiani followed with her second extra base hit of the contest, a double, scoring pinch runner
Mackenzie Hoover with the final run of the inning. That spelled the end for Jones in the circle for the Mastodons.
QUOTABLE
"It was a good response from the group," RMU head coach
Jexx Varner said. "I told them between the top of the fourth and the bottom of the fourth that we just had to win the second half of the game and we could win the ballgame. It was phenomenal to have Avery back. Those first couple of games back can be tough. They got her on the outside the first couple of times but they weren't going to get her again. She made that adjustment and drove the ball to right field. I'm proud of that kind of response."
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
The three runs in the fifth made a winner out of fifth-year
Dana Vatakis, who improved to 6-8 during the 2023 season from the circle. She allowed a pair of runs on five hits, working around four free passes while striking out five. In throwing 116 pitches, Vatakis got 11 groundouts in the victory.
QUOTABLE
"This was a big game for (Dana)," Varner said. "She was beating herself up a bit too much for the Youngstown State series. Sometimes you go through situations where you miss a pitch. That's what this conference does. It's what Youngstown State did earlier this week and, as you saw today, it's what Purdue Fort Wayne is starting to do. If you don't execute, teams will take advantage. I thought today was a big response from Dana. It's a big confidence boost for her."
UP NEXT
RMU closes out the three-game set with Purdue Fort Wayne (16-21 / 8-5 #HLSB) Saturday, April 15, with a Noon first pitch at the North Athletic Complex.
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