GAMES 37-39
RMU (18-18 / 8-5 #HLSB) @ IUPUI (12-24 / 8-8 #HLSB)
Saturday, April 22, 2023 • 1:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 23, 2023 ­• 1:00 p.m. (DH)
IUPUI Softball Complex • Indianapolis, Ind.
 
Cracker Jack & Sunflower Seeds (Dubble Bubble, Too)
 
- The RMU softball team hits the stretch run of the 2023 regular season by traveling to Indianapolis, Ind., for a three-game series with IUPUI at the IUPUI Softball Complex. The Colonials and Jaguars will open the series Saturday at 1:00 p.m. before playing a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m. Sunday.
 
- RMU took two out of three from Purdue Fort Wayne at the North Athletic Complex last weekend. The Mastodons opened the series with a 3-1 triumph before the Colonials earned a split in the doubleheader with a 4-2 win and concluded the series with a 7-2 victory.
 
- Sophomore Anna Resnik hit .364 (4-for-11) during the series with Purdue Fort Wayne, while sophomore Alaina Koutsogiani and senior Avery Winchell each went 3-for-9 (.333) at the dish. Koutsogiani scored four runs, drove in two more and connected for a pair of doubles and a triple.
 
- Fifth-year Dana Vatakis spun a complete game in the second game of the series with Purdue Fort Wayne, striking out five in a 7-2 triumph. Sophomore Madison DeVault, meanwhile, appeared in two games of the series against the Mastodons, not allowing an earned run in 8.1 innings while striking out 10. Opponents hit just .188 off her in two appearances.
 
- In 13 games against Horizon League foes in 2023, the Colonials top the leaderboard in shutouts (5), earned run average (1.99) and opponent batting average (.206). In 88 innings, the RMU pitching staff has struck out 81 hitters.
 
- Junior Charlotte Grover and sophomore Alaina Koutsogiani are tied for second among #HLSB leaders against league opposition in runs (14), while Koutsogiani owns five doubles, which tops the circuit with three other student-athletes.
 
- 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 96-107 (.473) but since joining the Horizon League RMU has notched an overall record of 74-58 (.561), including a mark of 44-28 (.611) 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 to the North Athletic Complex for its final series of the 2023 regular season Friday, April 28, and Saturday, April 29. The Colonials will host Oakland for a three-game set as well as honor their only senior in pitcher Dana Vatakis prior to Saturday's doubleheader.

IUPUI LINKS
- Live Stats
- 2023 Schedule
- 2023 Statistics
- RMU Athletics Gameday App
 
The All-Time Series (IUPUI) – RMU has posted an overall record of 7-1 (.875) in the all-time series with IUPUI, with the two programs having met just once prior to becoming Horizon League foes in 2020. During the 2003 season, the Colonials posted a 9-2 win over the Jaguars in the first meeting in program history between the two programs. RMU is 6-1 (.857) against IUPUI since joining #HLSB, and the last time the two teams met in Indianapolis, Ind., the Colonials took three of four from the Jaguars at the IUPUI Softball Complex in 2021, including a 3-2 victory in eight innings. Each of the seven meetings between the two programs over the last two seasons have been decided by two runs or less. Last season RMU earned a 1-0 victory over IUPUI (4/17/22) on Easter Sunday to complete a three-game sweep of the series.
 
Top To Bottom – The Colonials have taken to having a balanced lineup in 2023, with each hitter coming up big for RMU throughout the season. Currently riding the best wave is redshirt sophomore Meadow Sacadura, who has reached base safely in each of RMU's last eight games, hitting .350 (7-for-20) during that stretch with six runs, a double and five RBI.
 
In The Vault – Madison DeVault has developed nicely for the Colonials in her sophomore season, and she is in the midst of arguably her best stretch from the circle during her career at RMU. In seven appearances during the month of April, DeVault owns a 3-1 record with an earned run average (ERA) of 0.74, having yielded just three earned runs in 28.1 innings. She's also struck out 27 during that span, while opponents have hit just .206.
 
The Notebook – RMU is 17-3 (.850) 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 (120), starts (120) and consecutive starts (98) … Sophomore Alaina Koutsogiani ranks third in the Horizon League in stolen bases (18) and is two thefts shy of tying the RMU career record of 58.

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