Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU softball team earned a doubleheader split with IUPUI Sunday in Indianapolis, Ind., to earn another series win. The Colonials fell in the opener at the IUPUI Softball Complex, 7-6, before rebounding to earn a 3-0 triumph in game two. RMU owns an overall record of 20-19 (.513) during the 2023 season, reaching the 20-win plateau for the third consecutive year while also improving to 10-6 (.625) in the Horizon League.
GAME 1 • L, 6-7
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Jaguars climbed out of a four-run deficit by scoring five runs in the bottom of the seventh to earn the victory. IUPUI took advantage of three errors in the inning and also scored the winning run on a wild pitch. A total of 10 different Jaguars went to the plate in the deciding rally, with Kendal Calvert opening the inning with a single and moving to second on a throwing error. Jaida Speth doubled down the line in left to score Calvert and cut RMU's lead to 6-3, while Speth would come around to score on an infield single. The biggest hit of the inning came from Victoria Sivert, who drove in a pair with a single to right that would tie the game, 6-6.
CIRCLE CHANGE
Fifth-year
Dana Vatakis was called in to replace sophomore
Madison DeVault in the bottom of the seventh with no outs and runners on first and second, but a fielding error allowed the Jaguars to load the bases. Vatakis was able to induce consecutive force outs at home, but Kasie Keyes would score on a wild pitch to help IUPUI complete the comeback.
UP DOWN LEFT RIGHT
The Jaguars grabbed a 2-0 lead before the Colonials broke through with two in the fifth to tie it. RMU then used the long ball in the next two innings to open up a 6-2 edge. In the sixth, junior
Catalina Saxen was called on to pinch hit, and she connected for her first home run of the season, a two-run shot to center, to give the Colonials a 4-2 lead. In the top of the seventh, sophomore
Alaina Koutsogiani drilled a two-run shot of her own, sending a ball over the fence in left after senior
Avery Winchell opened the inning with a walk to give RMU a four-run advantage.
GAME 2 • W, 3-0
POWERBALL
RMU entered its doubleheader with IUPUI Sunday having hit three home runs as a team over the course of its first 912 at bats on the 2023 season, each of which having come off the bat of junior
Charlotte Grover. Sunday in Indianapolis, the Colonials doubled their total in the span of 12 visits to the dish. Madison Bryant got the first two outs of game two and struck out Grover for what looked like the third out of the top of the first, but the ball got behind Freiberg. Her throw to nab Grover at first was off the mark, giving RMU new life. Winchell capitalized, lacing a two-run shot to right center to give the Colonials an early 2-0 lead.
LIKE A GOOD NEIGHBOR
The Colonials picked up an insurance run in the top of the third without the aid of a hit, taking advantage of three walks by Bryant as well as an error by the Jaguars. Redshirt sophomore
Meadow Sacadura opened the frame with a free pass and moved to second on an infield error. Koutsogiani walked to load the bases, and after Bryant set down sophomore
Jess Matheny on strikes for the second out, junior
Faith Miller picked up an RBI by drawing the third walk of the inning to give RMU a 3-0 edge.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Bouncing back from the wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh of game one, Vatakis was masterful in notching her third consecutive complete game when called upon for the start. In evening her overall record during the 2023 season from the circle to 8-8, Vatakis scattered four hits and struck out a pair. She induced a whopping 16 groundouts in the victory and did not issue a walk. Bryant was the tough-luck loser for the Jaguars, as none of the three runs she allowed were earned. She yielded just one hit, the home run by Winchell, striking out nine but walking six. She also tossed three wild pitches.
UP NEXT
RMU returns home to the North Athletic Complex to host Oakland for a three-game series. Slated to begin Friday, April 28, with a single game at 3:00 p.m., followed by a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader Saturday, April 29, stay tuned, as Mother Nature may have a say in when games get played.
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