Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU softball team garnered a split of a doubleheader Thursday at the North Athletic Complex in opening a three-game series with Oakland, falling in the first game, 3-0, before bouncing back to take the nightcap, 4-3. The Colonials own an overall record of 21-20 (.512) during the 2023 season, including an 11-7 (.611) mark in the Horizon League.
GAME 1 • L, 0-3
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Oakland did its damage in the top of the first, plating a pair and starting the rally with two outs. Jen Krizka looped a single to left for the first hit of the contest, and Reese Ruhlman followed by getting hit by a pitch from fifth-year
Dana Vatakis. Madi Herrington then earned the first free pass of the contest to load the bases, and Leah Bieniewicz capitalized, lacing a single to center that scored a pair to give the Golden Grizzlies the early lead.
CAN OF SOUP
The two early runs would be all that Sydney Campbell would need for Oakland, as she kept the Colonials off balance all afternoon. She allowed just five hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out seven in improving to 14-6 overall from the circle for the Golden Grizzlies. RMU wasn't without its opportunities, however. Sophomore
Alaina Koutsogiani was stranded at second with one out in the second, while junior
Julia Ehrman was also stranded in scoring position the following inning. In the sixth, RMU had runners on first and third, but Campbell got out of the inning thanks to some stellar defense. Koutsogiani jumped on the first pitch from Campbell and lined it to the hole between first and second, but Bieniewicz made a diving stab to end the inning.
QUOTABLE
"(Campbell) does a good job changing speeds and pounds the zone," RMU head coach
Jexx Varner said. "She makes you make adjustments and really spins the ball well. By forcing you to put it into play it's usually a weak ground ball. She's one of the best for a reason. We just didn't get the two strike pitches in play."
ROUND AND ROUND
Oakland got an insurance run in the top of the fifth, with Allisa DiPrima connecting for her second home run of the year, a solo shot to left, off Vatakis. The Colonials honored the fifth-year pitcher prior to the game as part of Senior Day activities as Vatakis moved into sole possession of fourth place Thursday with her 114th career appearance from the circle. She is also one of eight pitchers in program history to log over 500 career innings.
QUOTABLE
"Dana has been an absolute anchor," Varner said. "She's been the opening day starter five straight years, and that's pretty impressive. You know what you're going to get when she goes out there. It's that consistency, and she has a calmness to her that has had a great impact on everyone in the program. She's been through everything, from being recruited when we were 1-15 in the NEC to appearing in a Horizon League championship game last year and challenging for a title again this year. She's been a mainstay and is a huge reason, both culturally as well as athletically in terms of her production, as to why we are where we are. I don't know if I'll ever be able to put into words exactly what she means to us and to me and helping lead the way in turning this program around."
GAME 2 • W, 4-3
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Down, 2-0, heading into the bottom of the third, the bats came alive for the Colonials. Junior
Faith Miller opened the frame with a single to left and after being moved into scoring position on a sacrifice from Ehrman, sophomore
Anna Resnik drew a walk. Both moved up 60 feet after a passed ball, and redshirt sophomore
Meadow Sacadura hit a single to right to trim RMU's deficit in half. Senior
Avery Winchell followed and made sure Senior Day ended on a high note, connecting for an opposite field blast, the first home run by the Colonials at the North Athletic Complex during the 2023 season. The three-run dinger off Mariana Smith of the Golden Grizzlies gave RMU a 4-2 edge.
WRAP IT UP
Oakland (15-17 / 11-6 #HLSB) made it a one-run game in the top of the sixth courtesy of Reese Ruhlman, who hit a home run to left to lead off the inning and make it 4-3. Madi Herrington would follow by reaching on an error, which ended the afternoon for RMU starter
Jane Garver. Sophomore
Madison DeVault got the call, and after getting Bieniewicz to foul out to third, she induced a double play ball from Jenna Johnston to end the threat. DeVault nailed down her first save of the season by working around a walk with two outs in the seventh before getting DiPrima to ground out to end the game.
QUOTABLE
"We knew we were getting toward the end of Jane's leash, but she is as competitive as it gets," Varner said. "She thrives in moments like this, and you saw it today. She might've been out there a little longer than I wanted to, but Madison only had to go one time through the order. We did what we needed to in order to shut it down. They're a very good team for a reason. Certainly proud of the response."
WHERE WE STAND
Oakland remains in first place atop the Horizon League standings after Thursday's split, as its .647 winning percentage in league play is percentage points ahead of Northern Kentucky, which is 12-7 (.632), and RMU (.611). Just two games separate the top five teams in the league standings, as Cleveland State (.579) and IUPUI (.524) also each own 11 wins in #HLSB.
UP NEXT
RMU wraps up the home portion of its 2023 slate Friday looking for a series win against the Golden Grizzlies. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. at the North Athletic Complex.
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