CLEVELAND, Ohio – In a dramatic back-and-forth battle, the RMU softball team fell just short in extra innings on Saturday afternoon, dropping the series opener to Cleveland State, 5-4, at Viking Field. With the setback, RMU moves to 24-15 overall and 14-7 in Horizon League play.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
After two quiet innings to open the contest, the Colonials struck first in the top of the third.

Freshman Logan Black earned a walk to lead off the frame, setting the stage for senior Anna Resnik, who launched a towering two-run home run to straightaway centerfield to break the scoreless deadlock and put RMU ahead, 2-0.
 
Moments later, Courtney Poulich kept the momentum rolling, crushing a solo home run — her 11th of the year — to push the Colonial advantage to 3-0.
 
Cleveland State, however, responded quickly in the bottom of the third. The Vikings scored two runs off a pair of hits and a Colonial error to cut the deficit to 3-2. Then, in the fifth inning, an RBI single from CSU tied the contest at 3-3.
 
Both teams went quietly in the sixth and seventh innings, with RMU starter Madison DeVault and Cleveland State ace Melissa Holzopfel trading zeros in a classic pitchers' duel, forcing the game into extra innings.
 
In the top of the eighth, Poulich struck again with her second solo home run of the day, this one a towering blast to right field, giving RMU a 4-3 lead. It marked the third multi-homer game of Poulich's career and officially etched her name atop the RMU record books.
 
However, the lead would be short-lived. In the bottom half of the eighth, Cleveland State rallied for two runs to take the game, 5-4, and keep their hold on first place in the Horizon League standings.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• RMU outhit CSU, 6-5, while both teams committed one error apiece. Each squad drew just one walk.
• The Colonials left four runners on base compared to two for the Vikings.
• Senior pitcher Madison DeVault tossed 7.1 innings and struck out six. She threw 93 total pitches.
• RMU hit three home runs in the contest — two by Poulich and one by Resnik — all accounting for their runs scored. 

RECORD-SETTING DAY
It was a historic afternoon for Courtney Poulich, who officially broke the RMU single-season home run record with her 11th and 12th homers of the year, surpassing Kali Byers' previous mark of 11 set during the 2003 season.
 
Poulich continues to deliver an elite season, now boasting 46 RBI, 42 hits, 37 runs, 11 doubles, and a stellar .347 batting average.
 
TEAM MILESTONE
With three home runs in today's game, RMU also surpassed a major program milestone. The Colonials have now hit 41 home runs this season, breaking the previous team record of 40, set back in 2008 — a record that stood for 17 years.
 
The 2025 Colonials have showcased one of the most explosive offenses in program history, leading the Horizon League in home runs, slugging percentage, batting average, on-base percentage, runs batted in and runs scored.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
RMU will look to even the series and finish the regular season strong when they return to action tomorrow, Sunday, April 27, for a doubleheader against Cleveland State. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM, with both games streaming live on ESPN+.
 
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