MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The RMU softball team bounced back in a big way Friday, exploding for 19 runs in a doubleheader sweep over Oakland to win their first Horizon League series of the season. The Colonials won by scores of 8-0 and 11-1, improving to 6-9 overall and 2-1 in league play.
GAME 1: RMU 8, Oakland 0
In the first game, RMU broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the second inning.
Mary Brant led off with a single and moved to second on a fielding error.
Jess Matheny followed with a single up the middle, and Brant came home when
Sequoia Dunlap reached on another Oakland miscue. The Colonials kept the rally going as
Jaimee Hardy walked to load the bases, and
Logan Black delivered an RBI single to right.
Kaylyn Hopf then added a two-RBI infield single to cap the inning and give RMU a 4-0 lead.
Oakland threatened in the fourth, loading the bases with one out, but the RMU defense stepped up with a sharp 5-2-3 double play to end the frame and preserve the shutout.
The Colonials added more offense in the bottom of the fourth. Black and Hopf reached on back-to-back hits, and
Anna Resnik drove in a run with a single up the middle. An outfield error allowed Hopf to score as well, pushing the lead to 6-0. Moments later, Brant launched her third home run of the season—a two-run shot to center field—to extend the advantage to 8-0.
That proved to be the final blow, as RMU closed out the win via the run rule after five innings.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
The Colonials outhit Oakland 10-2, led by two-hit games from Hopf, Brant, Matheny and Black. Brant scored twice and added two RBI. In the circle,
Madelyn Coleman tossed a complete-game shutout, striking out four while earning her second win of the season.
GAME 2: RMU 11, Oakland 1
The momentum carried straight into game two, as RMU's offense struck early.
Kaylyn Hopf laid down a bunt single to lead off the bottom of the first, and after an Oakland error and a fielder's choice, Matheny stepped up and ripped a three-RBI double into the gap to make it 3-0.
Oakland answered with a run in the third, but Matheny responded in the bottom half with a two-run homer to right center, stretching the lead to 5-1. The Colonials continued their surge in the fourth. Hardy drew a leadoff walk, Resnik added a single, and
Courtney Poulich crushed a three-run home run to left, pushing RMU ahead 8-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Colonials sealed the game. Hardy came up again and delivered the final blow with a walk-off, three-run homer to center field, scoring Dunlap and
Alaina Koutsogiani to secure the 11-1 win and the series.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
RMU finished with nine hits in game two, led by two-hit efforts from Poulich, Matheny and Hardy. Poulich also scored three times, while she and Hardy each collected three RBI. In the circle,
Madison DeVault started her second game of the series and once again went the distance, tossing five strikeouts in five innings of work.
CAREER-HIGH
It was a career day for senior outfielder
Jess Matheny, who posted a personal best five RBI in game two. Across both games, she totaled four hits, including two doubles and a home run, along with two runs scored.
HOME RUN DERBY
The Colonials showcased their power throughout the series, launching four home runs—one each by Poulich, Brant, Hardy and Matheny. RMU has now hit 15 homers this season, just four shy of last year's season total, and leads the Horizon League in long balls.
EARLY AND OFTEN
With the sweep, RMU continues a trend of dominant offensive performances. Each of the Colonials' last four wins—two against Bucknell and two against Oakland—have come via the run rule. In those games, the team has combined to score 49 runs in just 20 innings.
QUOTABLE
After the series, head coach
Jexx Varner praised his team's effort on both sides of the ball.
"Maddie DeVault has shown her ability to dominate," said Varner. "Our goal was to get her in two games.
Madelyn Coleman is also capable of putting together a performance like she did today. When you only have to pitch 10 innings, it becomes lightwork for the pitching staff."
On the offense, Varner said, "Matheny had a phenomenal weekend as a whole. It speaks to the depth of this lineup. One through nine can be dangerous, and it was cool to see that translate in conference play. It's a scary lineup."
He added, "We were disappointed with the result yesterday, but the biggest thing is how you learn from the first game in a series. We made our adjustments and came out with a series win. This time of year, the key is to take your game and move onto the next. We can't dwell on anything and the team did an incredible job."
UP NEXT
RMU will remain at home to face Saint Francis in a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday, March 18. First pitch at the North Athletic Complex is set for 2:00 PM.
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